The Five Most Beautiful US Coins... What's Your List?

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ambro51
ambro51 Posts: 14,471 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
Here's mine. 1. Type two Gold Dollar (in Proof). 2. Buffalo Nickel (early date with whittled fields). 3. Bicentennial Quarter (best design on a currently circulating coin) 4. Pan Pac Half Dollar (technically perfect design) 5. $20 Saint (ultimate eye candy)
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  • DeepCoin
    DeepCoin Posts: 2,781 ✭✭✭
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    My list would have to include the original Ultra High Relief Saint Gaudens, Walking Liberty Half Dollar, Standing Liberty Quarter, and used in many denominations I am choosing larger coins, but one can argue for the smaller versions, Bust Half Dollar and finally the Gobrecht Dollars, a version of the Seated Liberty coinage. As you can see, my old eyes prefer the larger coins and I do believe the early part of the 20th century produced magnificent coins across the board. You could make a case for five coins all minted during the teens during that period. And honorable mention goes to Indian gold coinage of that period.
    Retired United States Mint guy, now working on an Everyman Type Set.
  • Yorkshireman
    Yorkshireman Posts: 4,616 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Ultra cameo Seated liberty proof half dollar
    High relief St. Gaudens $20
    $3 gold piece
    Standing liberty quarter
    Antietam commemorative
    Yorkshireman,Obsessed collector of round, metallic pieces of history.Hunting for Latin American colonial portraits plus cool US & British coins.
  • 291fifth
    291fifth Posts: 25,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I'm limiting my selections to non-gold, regular circulation coins:

    1913 Buffalo Nickel Type 1

    Walking Liberty Half Dollar

    Standing Liberty Quarter Type 1

    Flying Eagle Cent

    Winged Liberty ("Mercury") Dime
    All glory is fleeting.
  • BryceM
    BryceM Posts: 11,940 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    In no particular order - 1921 Peace Dollar, High Relief $20 St. Gaudens, Type I Buffalo Nickel, Walker Half, Standing Liberty Quarter.

    Runners up would include the $3 gold, No-Stars Seated Dime/Half Dime, 3-cent Nickel, Small Eagle Bust Dollar, $10 Indian
  • Sonorandesertrat
    Sonorandesertrat Posts: 5,695 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    $20 Saint
    Oregon Trail commem
    Standing Liberty quarter (slight preference for T.1)
    Buffalo nickel (slight preference for T.2)
    Pan-Pac octagonal $50
    Member: EAC, NBS, C4, CWTS, ANA

    RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'

    CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
  • JJM
    JJM Posts: 8,129 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    $20 Lib
    $20 Saint
    21 Peace
    Morgan
    Walker
    👍BST's erickso1,cone10,MICHAELDIXON,TennesseeDave,p8nt,jmdm1194,RWW,robkool,Ahrensdad,Timbuk3,Downtown1974,bigjpst,mustanggt,Yorkshireman,idratherbgardening,SurfinxHI,derryb,masscrew,Walkerguy21D,MJ1927,sniocsu,Coll3tor,doubleeagle07,luciobar1980,PerryHall,SNMAM,mbcoin,liefgold,keyman64,maprince230,TorinoCobra71,RB1026,Weiss,LukeMarshall,Wingsrule,Silveryfire, pointfivezero,IKE1964,AL410, Tdec1000, AnkurJ,guitarwes,Type2,Bp777,jfoot113,JWP,mattniss,dantheman984,jclovescoins,Collectorcoins,Weather11am,Namvet69,kansasman,Bruce7789,ADG,Larrob37,Waverly, justindan
  • JeffersonFrog
    JeffersonFrog Posts: 1,183 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 15, 2018 11:28AM
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    ...

    If we were all the same, the world would be an incredibly boring place.

    Tommy

  • rkp
    rkp Posts: 450 ✭✭✭
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    $20 St. Gaudens
    Mercury Dime
    Buffalo Nickel
    Bust Dime
    Seated Liberty Half (arrows and rays)
  • guitarwes
    guitarwes Posts: 9,308 ✭✭✭
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    Walking Liberty Half
    Standing Liberty Quarter
    UHR Saint
    Mercury Dime
    $10 Indian
    @ Elite CNC Routing & Woodworks on Facebook. Check out my work.
    Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
  • Aberlight
    Aberlight Posts: 384 ✭✭
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    1869 standard silver
    Standing Liberty
    Pan Pac Half
    St Gaudens
    Walking Liberty

    Sorry V Nickel. No love.
  • keyman64
    keyman64 Posts: 15,650 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    5?! But there are way more than 5 great ones... imageimage
    Here are the ones I like.

    Winged Liberty Dime (Mercury)
    1907 UHR $20
    Draped Bust Type Heraldic Eagle Reverse
    Walker Half
    Pan-Pac Exposition Half
    Texas Centennial
    Oregon Trail Half
    1921 Peace
    Indian Head Gold No Motto
    Buffalo Nickel Type 1
    Indian Princess Head $1 Gold Type 2 / Indian Princess Head $3 Gold
    Gobrecht Dollar
    Seated w/ Rays around Eagle
    Indian Head Cent
    Standing Liberty Quarter

    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Not really looking for much these days but if I were, it might be a toner. :smile:
  • Lakesammman
    Lakesammman Posts: 17,698 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Schoolgirl Dollar - Eliasberg or Garrett
    Baldwin $10 Horseman MS64
    Pan-Pac MS65 - Octagonal
    1857 FE 1c in P65Cam or better
    1794 $1 - TDN's specifically
    Gone but not forgotten: IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Ricko, Big Moose, Cardinal, CoinsAreFun.
  • ricko
    ricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    PanPac Octagonal
    Walking Liberty Half
    Mercury Dime
    Buffalo Nickel
    Oregon Commemorative

    Cheers, RickO
  • Eagleguy
    Eagleguy Posts: 2,264 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    St Gaudins $20
    Buffalo Nickel
    Standing Liberty Quarter
    Walking Liberty Half Dollar
    Sac Dollar (yeah, I said it!)

    JH
    JH

    Proof Buffalo Registry Set
    Capped Bust Quarters Registry Set
    Proof Walking Liberty Halves Registry Set
  • steveben
    steveben Posts: 4,666 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    $5 draped bust
    $5 liberty head no motto
    mercury 10C
    IHC
    $1 draped bust
  • jom
    jom Posts: 3,538 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Only 5? OK then...in no particular order:

    Buffalo Nickel
    Oregon Trail Commem
    SLQ
    $5 Indian Gold
    $10 Indian Gold

    jom
  • DennisH
    DennisH Posts: 14,041 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    $50 Pan Pac commem.
    $20 St. Gaudens
    $10 Indian
    Flowing Hair dollar
    Walking Liberty half
    When in doubt, don't.
  • drfish
    drfish Posts: 955 ✭✭✭✭
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    Pan PAC Octagonal
    $5 Indian
    SLQ
    Connecticut Half dollar
    Oregon trail half dollar
  • tradedollarnut
    tradedollarnut Posts: 20,762 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Gobrecht dollar, St Gaudens double eagle, walking liberty half, standing liberty quarter, 1795 eagle
    Early Dollar Set
  • TwoSides2aCoin
    TwoSides2aCoin Posts: 45,223 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    #1
    imageimage
    Photos courtesy of CoinFacts.
    #2
    imageimage
  • Ed62
    Ed62 Posts: 857 ✭✭
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    No. 1:

    image

    No. 2:

    image

    No. 3:

    image

    No. 4:

    image
    Ed
  • SkyMan
    SkyMan Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Draped Bust Heraldic Eagle,
    Flying Eagle cent,
    UHR Saint,
    Walking Liberty,
    Oregon Trail.
    Toned Franklins

    U.S. Type Set
  • Bullsitter
    Bullsitter Posts: 6,300 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    1907 UHR $20
    Chain Cent
    Buffalo Nickel
    Walking Liberty
    Oregon Trail
  • keyman64
    keyman64 Posts: 15,650 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Ed62, only one of those made my list but those are fantastic!
    "If it's not fun, it's not worth it." - KeyMan64
    Not really looking for much these days but if I were, it might be a toner. :smile:
  • nankraut
    nankraut Posts: 4,565 ✭✭✭
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    You ready? (drum roll)

    Susan B Anthony dollar
    Eunice Kennedy commem
    Ike Dollar

    YUK!!
    image
    I'm the Proud recipient of a genuine "you suck" award dated 1/24/05. I was accepted into the "Circle of Trust" on 3/9/09.
  • 49thStateofMind
    49thStateofMind Posts: 231
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    WLH
    SLQ
    07 HR Saint
    Pan Pac
    Oregon Comm
  • sumnom
    sumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
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    Buffalo nickel
    Mercury dime
    Walking liberty half
    Peace dollar
    Sacagawea dollar

    Honorable mention: Standing Liberty quarter

    Interestingly, this list does not correlate with the what I actually collect.

  • SanctionII
    SanctionII Posts: 13,190 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    US coinage is so broad and deep in scope that, for me, a top five list is impossible.

    The coins on my personal top five list would change constantly as I look at new examples of various coins.

    You have regular issue circulating coinage, regular issue proof coinage, regular issue commemorative coinage, regular issue bullion coinage, regular issue coinage produced by the US Mint for other countries, patterns, specimen strikes, varieties and errors [made innocently and made with ill intent] and unauthorized coins produced surreptitiously. Probably other categories that I do not remember.

    You also have different metals used in the production of coins, each of which has good and bad attributes.

    You also have different production technologies that span the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries during which the USA has minted coins.

    The above said, I really like:

    1. J-1776 (this pattern is my favorite US Coin and I would be an eager buyer of a D Carr reproduction of this pattern coin);

    2. 18th Century coinage of all denominations (particularly high grade eye appealing examples);

    3. DCAM proof silver and gold from the 19th and early 20th century (particularly high grade eye appealing examples);

    4. Ultra High Relief Saints; and

    5. Buffalo Nickels, Standing Liberty Quarters and Walkers.

    My list is non responsive to the question asked of the OP, but it is the best I can do at this time.

  • crypto79
    crypto79 Posts: 8,623 ✭
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    Trade dollar
    (Maybe a stretch)

    Connecticut half
    Saint DE
    Walking lib half
    Peace dollar
    Standing lib quarter
  • ElKevvo
    ElKevvo Posts: 4,199 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Tough one and Nankraut beat me to the punch of posting the SBA etc. Anyway these are the ones that pop right into my head:

    PanPac Octagonal
    St Gaudens 20.00
    Peace Dollar
    Walking Liberty Half
    Standing Liberty Quarter T1

    I noticed no one really posted any moderns with the exception of the OP which is not a surprise to me. For me just not a lot there in terms of design. There are a couple of exceptions here and there but it is really more of a 'Wow, neat design' vs. a 'Wow, that is a really beautiful work of art' type of response. I do like the bicentennial pieces but for me just not the wow factor. Maybe because they were issued in the heart of my childhood collecting and I owned a lot of them. Nothing I could just wish someday to own!

    K

    edited for additional content
    ANA LM
  • jughead1893
    jughead1893 Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Liberty cap cent
    Mercury dime
    Capped bust half
    Bust dollar
    Morgan dollar
  • golddustin
    golddustin Posts: 838 ✭✭
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    Very tough to limit to 5, but gotta draw the line somewhere, especially with 'collectors'. In no particular order:

    $20 Saints
    $10 IH Eagles
    T-3 Capped Bust 50c
    Hawaiian 50c commem - nice design & really cool lettering
    Oregon Trail 50c commem

    Cheating!!! --> Honorable mention - FE 1c, modern Civil War 50c commem, Buffalo 5c, don't even get me started on patterns!

    Comments - I am surprised by the number of SLQ answers; the Antietam half is also one of my favorites; I have to agree that the Sacs are a nice design; the eagle on those schoolgirl dollars always reminds me of a turkey (with a guy holding a hatchet chasing it); for some strange reason I really like the Miss Liberty on 1794 cents, but can't justify putting it on the list...JMHO
    Don't you know that it's worth
    every treasure on Earth
    to be young at heart?
    And as rich as you are,
    it's much better by far,
    to be young at heart!
  • bsshog40
    bsshog40 Posts: 4,037 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    2.5 & 5.00 IndianHead Gold
    Silver American Eagle
    Flying Eagle Cent
    Texas Comm.
    St. Gaudens $20 Gold
    -----------------------------------------
    My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
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    U.S. Army Veteran 1/11 ACR Fulda, Germany
  • rainbowroosie
    rainbowroosie Posts: 4,875 ✭✭✭✭
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    $20 Saints
    Oregon commem
    Standing Lib quarters
    Walkers
    "You keep your 1804 dollar and 1822 half eagle -- give me rainbow roosies in MS68."
    rainbowroosie April 1, 2003
  • Rollerman
    Rollerman Posts: 1,908 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    In 1977 I put together, in a Capital Plastics holder, a group I called "My Favorites". The set included: Morgan, Walker, Standing, Mercury, Buffalo and Flying Eagle.

    I've since gained respect for the St. Gaudens and my favorite dollar is split between the Drapped Bust and the Flowing Hair. I think historical significance comes in to play here, but love the Morgans still!
    Pete
    "Ain't None of Them play like him (Bix Beiderbecke) Yet."
    Louis Armstrong
  • mr1931S
    mr1931S Posts: 7,314 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Barber dime
    Barber Quarter
    Barber Half Dollar
    Liberty Nickel
    Buffalo Nickel

    "Two things are infinite: human stupidity and the universe; and I'm not sure about the universe."
    -Albert Einstein-

    Mistakes are natural. But repeated mistakes without reflection are something else. That may be the “stupidity” he was referring to. In research, he admitted uncertainty openly. “If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?” This shows humility. Even a Nobel laureate accepted doubt. That humility makes the quote less cynical and more observational.

  • kimber45ACP
    kimber45ACP Posts: 2,399 ✭✭✭
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    UHR
    SLQ
    $10 Indian
    Flowing Hair Dollar
    Peace
  • dogwood
    dogwood Posts: 1,935 ✭✭✭✭
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    << <i>Barber dime
    Barber Quarter
    Barber Half Dollar
    Liberty Nickel
    Buffalo Nickel >>



    Totally this.
    But I'd put the dime third.
    We're all born MS70. I'm about a Fine 15 right now.
  • Jabbss651
    Jabbss651 Posts: 204
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    Heres my picks...

    $1 Draped Bust/Heraldic Eagle Rev 1798-1804 (But i love all the Drapped designs)
    $20 Saint ULTRA HIGH
    Morgan
    Buffalo 5c T1
    Walking Liberty

    Eh...I want to list a few more. Top 8??
    Judd Patterns of Morgan $ are great too!




    Countless large & small dollar deals completed
  • bigmarty58
    bigmarty58 Posts: 2,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Pan Pac Octagonal
    Saint Gaudins $20
    $10 Indian
    Connecticut Half Dollar
    $5 Indian
    Enthusiastic collector of British pre-decimal and Canadian decimal circulation coins.
  • mkman123
    mkman123 Posts: 6,849 ✭✭✭✭
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    Pan Pac Octogonal
    Saint Gaudens
    Standing Liberty Quarter
    Trade Dollar
    $10 India
    Successful Buying and Selling transactions with:

    Many members on this forum that now it cannot fit in my signature. Please ask for entire list.
  • Swampboy
    Swampboy Posts: 13,264 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Standing Liberty Quarter
    Quarter/Half Eagle Indian Head
    Buffalo Nickel
    Saint
    Walking Liberty Half

    "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso

  • Type2
    Type2 Posts: 13,985 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Nickel's
    Dime's
    Quarter's
    Half's
    Dollar's.

    image


    Hoard the keys.
  • bidask
    bidask Posts: 14,057 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Gorbrecht Gobrecht Gobrecht Gobrecht and Gobrecht dollar. Simple and elegant.

    image
    I manage money. I earn money. I save money .
    I give away money. I collect money.
    I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.




  • WingedLiberty1957
    WingedLiberty1957 Posts: 3,014 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    My top five list would include the Texas Commemorative and Walking Liberty Half Dollar ...

    image
    image


    Some honorable mention coins ... (not top 5 though)

    image
    image
    image

    My Coin Blog
    My Toned Lincoln Registry Set

  • magikbilly
    magikbilly Posts: 6,780 ✭
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    Merc (for tight design for 10C and attractive reverse fasces)
    Walker (for beautiful figure with great composition and awesome eagle)
    SLQ (for design success/composition and awesome eagle)
    Buff (for portrait, sculpted fields and natural look)
    2.5 Ind (for incuse nature and beautiful rendering for its size of both subjects)



    Eric
  • northcoin
    northcoin Posts: 4,987 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    << <i>$20 Saint
    Oregon Trail commem
    Standing Liberty quarter (slight preference for T.1)
    Buffalo nickel (slight preference for T.2)
    Pan-Pac octagonal $50 >>



    I am with you though would refine that to have the $20 Saint be a high relief and would have the nickel be a 3 legger - and have voted with my pocket book accordingly.
  • crazyhounddog
    crazyhounddog Posts: 14,252 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    1) Buffalo Nickel's
    2) Saint Gaudins Eagle
    3) Standing Liberty Quarter
    4) Walking Liberty half dollar
    5) Saint Gaudins Double Eagle

    But don't hold me to it. It might change next week...
    The bitterness of "Poor Quality" is remembered long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
  • GotTheBug
    GotTheBug Posts: 1,725 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Options
    Fifty Dollar Panama Pacific Octagonal

    Oregon Trail Fifty Cent Commemorative

    Standing Liberty Twenty-Five Cents

    Buffalo Nickel

    Indian Ten Dollar Gold
  • OldIndianNutKase
    OldIndianNutKase Posts: 2,717 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I'll base my opinion on series rather than one-off coins:

    St. Gaudens $20
    Indian Cent Proofs with great toning
    Buffalo Nickels
    $10 Indian Gold
    Peace $'s

    OINK

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