whats the best coin you ever saw in person, but know you could never afford.

barberlover

if i had the kind of money that i'd like i'd still be a coin collector and i'd travel to all the major shows to buy what i like. unfortunatley i'm just a humble working guy who's coin collecting is limited to a few major purchases a year found either through local shows in minneapolis, or thru online dealers or online auctions. but in may of 2000 the central states show came to town and i saw some incredible coins. but one coin inparticular caught my attention as i was walking past a dealers display case i found my head twisting in back of my body like the excorsist to look back at a coin that caught my eye. it was a 1799 bust dollar in p.c.g.s. 64 with origonal color full unbroken luster no visible marks to the naked eye and a razor sharp strike [druel] i asked the dealer how much, he said 56,000 and i considered selling my entire collection as a down payment, and borrowing to pay the balance, but my common sence kicked in and i let it go [sob]

Fairlaneman

1901S Quarter in a PCGS MS63 Holder. Saw it last fall and the coin was knock out pretty and pricey.

Ken

segoja

Let's try Parrino's 1894-S in PCGS PF65 ($1,000,000) He let me 10 year old son hold the coin (slab) or the 1933 Double Eagle in the Smithsonian, or the 1849 Double Eagle.

All beautiful and expensive or not for sale.

tradedollarnut

Ultra high relief $20 in PCGS PF68 at the last Long Beach show. Too much.

Good point on the Smithsonian coins - I saw those last fall.

boiler78

Childs 1804 dollar, Eliasberg 1913 nickel, King of Siam set, Norweb 1838-o half, and Eliasberg 1885 Trade Dollar

jdimmick

It was quite a while back, but I saw a 1927-d St Gaudens $20 at the state show, I believe it was an NGC-58 for $175,000.


Actually, I dont collect gold, but it was still neat to see such a rare piece

Merc

I held a 1937-D 3 legged buffalo nickel in MS67. An old guy had it at our local coin meeting. I had bought one in VF30 from him then he offered to bring in his coin at the next meeting. I was surprised someone in our little town had such a coin.

Flash

I've seen several 1804 dollars, the Eliasberg 1913 Liberty nickel, the 1933 $20 Saint, and many other very impressive coins. I think that seeing the King of Siam set displayed along with its original box was the most impressive, since I doubt if the coins and the box will stay together over the long term.

itsnotjustme

An MS66FH 1916 SLQ....

ARCO

The Eliasberg Proof68 1915 Barber Half Dollar offered by Anaconda a couple years back for $15,000. I had the money but it was the bulk of my savings. I still dream about it every day.

1915 obverse
1915 reverse

maybe the coin gods will forgive for passing on this coin some day!

Tyler

michael

off center chain and 1877 indian off center

clock with 12 seated dimes in the k-1 through k-12 off center positions

sincerely michael

probably for me the off center chain

doops

MINE WOULD BE JACK LEE'S ENTIRE SILVER DOLLAR COLLECTION. I ALWAYS GAWKED AT THOSE UNBELIEVABLE BRANCH MINT PROOFS. JACK LIVES RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM SANDY AND I AND OWNS TOWER LOANS HERE LOCAL. A VERY ASTUTE GENTLEMAN HE IS. HE IS A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND WAS OF MY FATHERS. I HAD THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND PRIVILEDGE OF HELPING HIM ACQUIRE A FEW OF HIS COINS IN HIS DOLLAR COLLECTION OVER THE YEARS. BOY,WAS THAT SOME SET OF DOLLARS. AND THE 86-O 67DMPL DOLLAR ONCE OWNED BY WAYNE MILLER INEVITABLY OBTAINED BY JACK WAS THE MOST FANTASTIC ONE MORGAN DOLLAR I EVER SAW. A CAMEO OF ALL CAMEO DMPL DOLLARS THAT JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE AN 86-O IN 67DMPL AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN 68 DMPL. AND NOT ATTRIBUTED AS SUCH I BELIEVE WAS ALSO A BRANCH PROOF STRIKE OF ONE COIN ONLY. WHEW ! GOOSE BUMPS !!!!

danglen

1913 Liberty nickel at the Atlanta ANA Show last year, although I can't say I got goose bumps over it.

MacCoin

it was a 01 barber quarter with beautiful dark blue rimrot in a pr65 pcgs holder.

Mojoe

An 1893s morgan dollar in pcgs64 I saw at the Chicago ANA convention. It was just sitting there in a dealer's inventory with an innocent-looking sticker on it ($110,000). The 1804 dollar and many other rarities were on display but this particular coin was very clean for the grade and had "the look" of a higher graded coin. Unfortunately, my wife was present and I don't think she would have wanted to trade the deed to our house for an 1893s. I guess I'll never understand the female mind!

tjkillian

All those coins are the extreme rarity. I saw some very nice coins such as a 1859-O Half Dollar in PCGS MS-67 and a 1861 Quarter, PCGS, in MS-67 that were fantastic. The guy wanted $30,000 for the half!

Tom

IrishMike

I haven't seen this 1892 Columbian yet, plan to at FUN, but I remember it from the July sale where it sold for $42,550. I remember discussing this coin with my broker/certified financial advisor and ultimately agreeing too much downside risk. Of course my main advisor, my wife gave me one of those lowered eye looks, that wives are famous for. It is truly a remarkable coin. link

Singapore

I've seen the 1913 Liberty Nickel on display and stuff like that, but my favorite experience was lot viewing a few years ago at Heritage waiting for coins I wanted to see to be available when I decided to take a spin through the Morgans -

All the key dates in 65, 66 and 67 - it was pretty cool. I remember thinking at the time that in a lot of cases the 65 was a more eye appealling coin than the 67, but regardless they were the kind of coins you dream about owning when you're a little kid.

Then I proceeded to spend just about as much money on some obscure colonials that were not quite as flashy (understatement).

morganbarber

Not the most valuable, but still very cool- I was at the coin store yesterday and asked the owner if he had anything with impressive die cracks. The only piece he had was a 1798 dollar with a large vertical break through the reverse. It was in a PCGS holder I believe listed as VF. Again, not as valuable as a 1913 nickel, but very neat and definately out of my price range.

goose3

I was at the Ebay show in Columbus Ohio a few years ago and a coin in a display caught my eye. A 1944 steel cent. I asked about it and the seller handed it to me to look at. Neat!

FrattLaw

My "best coin" was actually a coin I want and need for my registry set, a toned Satin Proof 1921 Peace $. I was at a local show and there it was just sitting in a display case. It had vibrant ice blue rim toning and was truly spectacular looking.

There are perhaps 10-20 of these coins and probably only less then 5 with vibrant toning. $12,000, which I know isn't alot to some on this board, but it was still out of my range. Maybe someday I can find it again and get it!

Michael

09sVDB

For me it was the 1913 liberty nickel at the ANA in Colorado Springs.

Zerbe

Ultra high relief $20--Pr68 PCGS, especially if it could be pedigreed to Teddy Roosevelt, or at least the one that was held by the sculptors family.

kieferscoins

I got to hold the 1804 dollar that Bowers was selling at the ANA Atlanta show at auction.

Cameron Kiefer