Is the Hawaii Five-O 1913 Liberty Head Nickel the world's most famous individual coin?
Zoins
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1913 Liberty Head Nickel
grade: NGC PF64+ CAC
pedigree: Colonel E.H.R. Green, Eric Newman, Fred Olsen, Dr. Jerry Buss, King Farouk
- https://www.stacksbowers.com/News/Pages/PressReleases.aspx?ArticleID=4-million-dollars-1913-v-nickel-stacks-bowers-galleries-private-sale
- https://www.coinnews.net/2021/11/09/ngc-certified-hawaii-five-o-nickel-realizes-over-4-million/
SBG said:
This nickel was featured in a December 1973 episode of the television show Hawaii Five-O, one of the most popular programs of the era. It was this episode, and this exact coin, that was responsible for making the 1913 Liberty Head nickel famous among non-collectors. However, even prior to its television appearance, this specimen had already amassed an extraordinary pedigree, one that can be traced back to the legendary collections of Colonel E.H.R. Green, Eric Newman, Fred Olsen, Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss, and King Farouk of Egypt.
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Most famous to whom?
To as many people as possible
“The penny”
I mean a specific specimen or individual coin, not a coin type or denomination in aggregate.
Ice cream dime.
"Look up, old boy, and see what you get." -William Bonney.
Only to people over 50…
That might not have a material affect question outcome if the majority of people who know about coins in general are over 50...
I think by far more people know about the coin which bore Cesar's image, and the coin found in the fish's mouth, and especially the Widow's Mite. We just can't put our eyeballs on those... 😉
It might have been when the show aired. There probably isn’t a famous one out there today for the general public.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
The legal 1933 DE or this is likely more famous:
https://www.coinworld.com/news/precious-metals/eid-mar-gold-example-sets-record-for-ancient-coin-selling-price
Especially to all of the many who are not collectors.................
It's an interesting thought. I wonder how many people know of this coin:
Most non-collectors ask me about the 09S VDB and the 55 DD.
The Widow's Mite would probably make the list of famous coins to non-collectors, though not one specimen (as @Zoins is talking about).
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I meant the episode of Hawaii 5-0. Way before most peoples time, including me and I’m nearing retirement…
My 1970S Quarter literally went viral around the world.
I still get emails, texts, and calls regarding people finding another 1970S U.S. Quarter struck on a 1941 Canadian Quarter. Other coin dealers say the same thing.
It was featured in a TV interview I did with Fox News. It was in USA Today, London's Daily Mail, AP News, Coin Week, New York Post, Newsmax, NBC News, Numismatic News, Time Magazine, Maria Bartiromo's TV show, and countless other newspapers and news sites on the internet.
That error is definitely newsworthy. Given that few probably saw or recall having seen the multiple news sources reporting on it just goes to show how the information overload we deal with today minimizes newsworthy information.
On the other hand back when the Hawaii Five-0 Nickel was first newsworthy the news sources were more focused. It also had the edge by hitting multiple news cycles. The first was when it set the new record for the first US coin to realize the new record of $100,000 and then a year later to receive its notoriety on the well watched Hawaii Five-O episode,
There was a 1947 movie called "The Brasher Doubloon" starring Raymond Chandler and George Montgomery who played Philip Marlowe who was hired to recover the rare coin.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Is there a specific coin with the movie pedigree?
Not that I'm aware of.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Walter Breen (in his Encyclopedia) was disappointed that the coin in the 1947 film "The Brasher Doubloon" was a replica.
"The Brasher Doubloon" title
"The Brasher Doubloon" replica coin
The film is on my "Coins in Movies" website.
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I think that a 1943 Copper Penny is more widely known than the 1913 Lib Nickel.
Perhaps, but what about an individual specimen of the 1943 Copper Penny vs. an individual specimen of the 1913 Lib Nickel?
I would agree that the likely most famous (though not through the cinema) coins would be the 1909 S VDB cent or the 1955 DDO cent. Many, many non-collectors will mention those coins when around a discussion of valuable coins. Cheers, RickO
I'm asking about an individual coin specimen. What 1909 S VDB cent or the 1955 DDO cent specimen is famous? I actually can't think of a specimen for either off the top of my head. Typically, I'll just go look up a specimen on CoinFacts.
Just did an informal focus group of 10 non-collectors. The only actual coin mentioned was the 1909 penny (in a questioning manner, "Isn't a 1909 penny famous?)
Good info! Very interesting that no other coin was issued.
For the purposes of this thread, I'm guessing an individual specimen wasn't named?
The surreptitiously struck Hawaii Five O 1913 Liberty Nickel (one of five total) could well be the world's most famous coin. Too bad designer Charles E. Barber initials are nowhere to be seen on it or any Liberty nickel,for that matter. Maybe I'll take one of my Liberty Nickels and carve CEB on it to make it right for Barber for at least one coin. Drop it in circulation and some collector will think they have found a great rarity, a Liberty nickel with the designer's initials on it.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein
I would think the Farouk 1933 $20 DE is the most famous indivual specimen of any US coin.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
I've been trying to win the lottery.So far no luck. Thing is the plan, given that I do win the lottery, is to buy as many 1894-S dimes as I can and corner the market on those. Carving Barber's initial on those won't be necessary.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein
Oho! Now that I know of your cunning plan, I shall buy up some 1894-s dimes, and then dump them once you start driving up prices... 😏
Go for it. I need that lottery moola first anyway. Just so you know, the 1894-S that I would want to keep for myself is the finest known. I would offer up to $10M $11M for it...
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein
I've been mostly a cent guy most of my long life as a dealer but most people mention either the 1909 S VDB (but not, of course, any specific one) or the 1943 copper penny (again, including the legions of fakes and none in particular). I would tend to think, however, that the George Walton 1913 Liberty nickel might be almost as famous as the Hawaii Five-0, and that the most famous single coin is likely the 1933 double eagle, the legal one. Honorable mention to all 1804 silver dollars, originals, restrikes, bogus, whatever.
Kind regards,
George
The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
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I'm asking about an individual coin specimen
I would imagine that the most famous "coin specimen" might be whatever the National Press would be running in a story at any given time. to that end, I can't imagine very many people are familiar with the "Hawaii Five-O" coin right at this moment. many might remember once seeing a show with a Nickel, but that's about it. you certainly aren't going to have people say "Oh, yeah, I remember the Colonel E.H.R. Green, Eric Newman, Fred Olsen, Dr. Jerry Buss, King Farouk 1913 Liberty Nickel that was on Hawaii Five-O" or anything close to that, non-collectors just don't pay attention. maybe all they remember is that they can't believe people would pay that much money for a Nickel.
on the other hand, run a story about a 1943 Copper Penny selling for $xxxxxxx and for a few weeks we'd get all kinds of calls and walk-ins who thought they had one. for all the time I've spent in Coin Shops as a customer, walking the floor at shows, or working a show table/behind the counter at a shop, I have never had anyone ask about a 1913 Nickel, whether we had one for sale, if the one they had was real, etc., never ONE inquiry. as to the 1909-S VDB and 1955DDO, I have had hundreds of people who thought they had one.
1913 Lib Nickel questions are as common as hen's teeth from my experience.
Interesting question. In the general population I think far less than one percent could name any one specific coin long term. So it might be just the last one they read about, even if they only remember it for a few weeks. The sale of the 1933 Double Eagle was pretty well covered in the popular press somewhat recently as the world’s most expensive coin (alongside the world’s most expensive stamp), so I’ll vote for that one. Also that stamp as the world’s most famous individual stamp.
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A wildly popular television show made the Hawaii Five O specimen of 1913 Liberty Nickel famous for a while. Everyone, at least everyone I knew, watched that show back in the day. But 1909-S VDB and 1943 Copper pennies have more enduring fame, in my opinion.
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.-Albert Einstein
All of the coins mentioned here except my suggestion on the Eid Mar gold coin is for US coins. When I do a google search for the Eid Mar coin, I get hits from outside of the US. When I do a search for 1913 lib nickel Hawaii Five O, mostly US hits. So sure, likely a US coin is the most well-known here in the US but the OP specifies 'world's'. The only US coin that might be well-known outside the US is the 1933 DE as I mentioned - likely bc of the global adventure it has had and the story that goes with it, and the recent auction of it by a UK auction house that set a price record for a numismatic item. Just sayin'..........
Best, SH
And the 1933 DE is the world's most expensive coin! Well, third if you count the 1000 BTC Casascius (5 minted) and Australian $1M 1 Ton gold Kangaroo.