Poll Question: If you could time travel, what coin would you bring back to the past to show its value today? Why?

I would take back an 1893-S Morgan dollar.

Name and Address withheld

I would choose the tetradrachm of Philip II of Macedon, depicting Zeus on the obverse and a youth on a horse on the reverse.

The reason I have chosen this coin is that it inspired thousands of coins over the next 400 years (and beyond): The Danubian Celts, the Gaulic Celts, a case could be made even for some of the Iberian coins. But, by far, my favorite is the gold Chute Type (electrum) stater of the Belgae in ancient Britain.

W.M.Ingersoll, Address withheld

I would go back and get a Victoria Una and the Lion in Unc. Condition.

Mr. Nigel Reid, United Kingdom

An 1804 silver dollar.

John, Address withheld

Wouldn't it be fun to travel back to 1955 and show the mint employees the value of the 1955 doubled-die Lincoln cent? They would probably think we are out of our minds.

Tim McAfee, Address withheld

I wouldn’t take any coins back with me. I would take a couple of pounds of silver back to 1793 Philadelphia and convert it into large cents, half cents, etc., at the mint.

Name and Address withheld

I would bring back a 1916-D Mercury Dime. In the late ‘60s, I saw a nice 1916-D dime in VF condition at the coin shop I used to go to for $40. I was in high school, working part-time and making a dollar an hour. I try to buy it in the best condition possible; it is the only coin I don’t have in my dime collection.

Gary, Address withheld

I would go back in time with a Reverse Proof Peace dollar. Personally, I believe that this is the most beautiful of all our coins.

Tom Swickrath, Address withheld

My first coin would be a 1943 copper penny in Mint State 70 condition. My second coin would be as many as I can carry, the 1933 $20 Gold Eagle, in the same condition. The why: I would have a couple of coins to keep for myself - one of each coin, and the rest I would sell through an auction house. My reward from then on is that I would be set for life, and I could buy any coin I so desired to add to my own private collection. When I dream, I dream big!

Gene H. Gevedon

I think that’s a question every single serious collector has thought about. In the years 1793, 1799, 1860, 1916, and 1921 there are some truly great coins from those years, but I would travel back in time to 1794 when they finally got the surety bonds to begin to make silver coins.

I have always wanted a 1794 silver dollar, and if I could, I would visit the Olde Mint in Philadelphia and try to get one of the best 1758 coins released from the Mint.

To me, the 1794 silver dollar is one of the most historic coins the U.S. has ever produced.

I would love to converse with mint officials and hopefully get one of the better-struck coins since this was struck notoriously weakly because the press at the time was only set up for half dollars. Just talking with employees and actually seeing the first mint would be an incredible experience.

One note: I would avoid the mint in the summertime as they periodically had yellow fever outbreaks during warm weather. However, since mint records show they were minted in October 1794, this wouldn’t be a problem.

Name and Address withheld

I can only wish and dream about time traveling and bringing back one coin, but if I could do that, I would most definitely bring back a mint state 1794 Silver Dollar. This coin would set up my family and me, and we’d stop worrying about retiring!

Oded Paz, Arco, Idaho