Speaking of "provenance", name a great one.

MrEureka

Name the coin and the provenance. Make it up if you like.

I'll start.

1963 Franklin Half Dollar, ex: JFK.

Sonorandesertrat

1792 Half Disme. Ex: Rittenhouse

EagleEye

Lt. Dixon's 1860 Double Eagle

ColonelJessup

1945 Mercury 10c, ex:FDR

Justlooking

Five-dollar Confederate note, ex: Abraham Lincoln

He had one in his wallet April 14, 1865.

yosclimber

I like the story of the 1827 bust half, posted on this forum in 2009:



<< <i>The inscription in the upper right field reads "Cadet Robertson 1845. In the left (behind Liberty) Roberston is repeated.

A note: As gentlemen military cadets were expected to never be completely without funds. Thus it became a common practice to carry a pocket piece--often from one's birth year. A search of West Point archives comes up with Beverly Robertson--born June 1827, appointed to USMA1845, and graduated class of 1849. He went on to become a CSA general during the Civil War. One has to wonder if this was his coin. >>


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_H._Robertson
http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=718101

SmEagle1795

This sestertius (the size of a half dollar but twice as heavy/thick) is among six available to private collectors (22 are in museums) and was handed out to important spectators by the Imperials at the first games ever held at the Colosseum upon its completion in AD 80. So, while the provenance is anonymous, I can only imagine what one of the first people to go to the Colosseum would have been thinking. These usually come worn slick because Romans held them as pocket pieces as they loved the coins and the fact that finally an emperor did something for the people, unlike Nero and others who were excessively hedonistic.



Similarly, this coin was struck for the 93rd Olympics - spectators were forced to trade in their coinage in exchange for coinage of Olympia for easier local trade, so this was owned and used by someone attending the Olympics in 408BC:

coindeuce

1835 50c.O.101, Ex:C.F.Weaver. B.8/25/1835, D.6/12/1888.