Posted on 04/26/2013 5:49:12 PM PDT by Daffynition
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. —
A rare century-old U.S. nickel that was once mistakenly declared a fake and forgotten about for decades has sold at auction for more than $3.1 million.
The 1913 Liberty Head nickel is one of only five known to exist. But it's all the more prized because of its unusual back story: It was surreptitiously and illegally cast, discovered in a car wreck that killed its owner, declared a fake, forgotten in a closet for decades and then declared the real deal.
It was offered up for sale Thursday by four Virginia siblings at a rare coin and currency auction in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg where it sold for well over the expected $2.5 million.
The winning bidders were two men from Lexington, Ky., and Panama City, Fla., who bought the coin in partnership, according to Heritage Auctions.
(Excerpt) Read more at wftv.com ...
I bet he would, lol. Not looking to part with it anyway, was just excited to think it might’ve been worth that much.
I wasn't aware that any US coins were ever cast.
Struck, certainly, cast, not so much.
Actually, that was the fate of one of the 1894-S dimes, the “Ice Cream Dime”. 24 were minted, 9 are known, 1 last sold for 1.8 million I believe. That leaves 15 of them out there in someones closet or yard...
I believe everyone of a certain age remembers relatives who had a stash of silver cartwheels when they were worth exactly one US dollar. Those were the days of silver certificate dollar bills “in silver payable to the bearer upon demand”. Grandchildren received silver dollars at Christmastime “Now you take this, and you put it in the bank”.
1921’s are the most common of the Morgan series still around (~200 million were melted during WWI). For either type dollar you’d have had to have had at least MS (Mint State) and/or DMPL (Deep Mirror Proof Like) 64+ grade specimens to go into the 8K territory.
I love the Morgans though :-) Real money for real Americans! Bring em back!
My 1922 Liberty is circulated but apparently briefly, looks to have spent a lot if time out of circulation. No wear evident at all, very light surface abrasions. It’s about as perfect an old circulated coin of that vintage as you’ll likely see, imho.
I look at the coin and I get the chills.
That coin actually was in circulation when there was a US of America with real people.
I have a 3 Morgan. All 3 dated in the late 1890’s. They are good condition. I wonder how much they are worth?
I've got an 1898 Morgan silver dollar in good condition (minimal circulation). I looked up what it was worth some years back and was surprised that it wasn't worth all that much.
It's a keepsake, though. Doubt I'd ever sell it.
And nickels were worth a nickel. :(
I remember, as a poor engineering student, I was able to get two (small) hamburgers for two bits ($0.25). A milk shake was an additional $0.20 and you had the choice of vanilla, strawberry or chocolate.
The little girl behind the cash register gave you correct change without the use of a calculator. Hell, a calculator was something you carried in your brain. Doing more complicated calculations were done with a bamboo slide rule.
Sheesh, we had a country of geniuses at one time and none of us were standing in a welfare line and most of us had responsible parents in a real home.
They switch to the Buffalo head nickel that year. Someone at the mint actually re-set the die with that year and bagged out five coins. Just for the helluva it. Some joke, huh?
A normal, good condition, is worth about half again it’s amount of silver. I have a bag of them...a little bag...and they are each worth about forty bucks.
Thanks. I hadn't recalled how much they were worth the last time I checked.
Your late 1890’s may be worth a litte, or quite a bit, depending on the exact year, which mint made them, and condition. For example, an 1899 made in Philadelphia has no mint mark, but is worth good money even if in poor condition.
Just look at your coins and find the year. The mint mark (if any) will be just above the D & O in the word dollar on the back (it’s tiny). Then you can look up a value by typing in (for example) 1899S Morgan or 1899O Morgan. It won’t entirely help you value it, because condition really does matter quite a lot...but it will give you a starting point. Hope that helps...and hope you find a rare one!
If I’m lucky. I may wait until I have a whole roll of them. The thing is hugh.
Oh, great. Now we’ll get those gold-bug bloggers screaming at us “Rare 1913 nickels are a great buy! On track to hit $4 million! Buy buy buy!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!”
Sorry I did not mean a 1913-I could not remember the year of my change anyway.. However, we did get the style with the V as change. Indian head pennies, Morgan dollars etc.
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