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Really scarce coins in the internet age

scubafuelscubafuel Posts: 1,984 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

For fun, name a coin under $20k that cannot be found for sale on the Internet right now. That’s my current bar for really scarce coins. Extra points if it can’t be found in any grade. World or US allowed.

I’ll go first: 1828 CAR 2 escudos any grade

I couldn’t do it for any US coins in the series I follow. They’re all out there.

Comments

  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,871 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 5, 2019 6:22AM

    1846 small date half eagle. Never mind found one.

  • ctf_error_coinsctf_error_coins Posts: 15,433 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 5, 2019 7:06AM

    x

  • NysotoNysoto Posts: 3,826 ✭✭✭✭✭

    For US coins, excluding varieties and errors, possibly the 1804 dime. There are a couple over 20K in higher grades currently for sale, but in low grades they have sold under that price. The 1804 dime is a "rare" date in all grades and conditions using the Sheldon scale, 31-80 known.

    The internet has made rarities much easier to locate.

    Robert Scot: Engraving Liberty - biography of US Mint's first chief engraver
  • BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 12,493 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1842 $5 Large or Small Letters
    1842-D $5 Large Date
    1842 $2.5
    1850 $5
    1861-D $5
    1864-S $5
    1864-S $10

    Latin American Collection

  • scubafuelscubafuel Posts: 1,984 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Nysoto The 1804 dime is a great pick. I haven’t seen a nice one in low grade in a long time.
    Varieties count too. The 1805/4 O-103 comes to mind...

  • savitalesavitale Posts: 1,410 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1870-S dime. There are a couple that look like they have been run over by a train but it's hard to say they are even authentic.

    LIBERTY SEATED DIMES WITH MAJOR VARIETIES CIRCULATION STRIKES (1837-1891) digital album

  • tommy44tommy44 Posts: 2,320 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1866 $5 lib?

    it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide

  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,181 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 5, 2019 12:30PM

    A cameo designated Liberty Walking Half Dollar (at least not until I list mine)...

    This could count as three issues: 1938, 1939, or 1942.

    1942 CAMEO Mercury Dime in 67 or higher with or without a sticker.

  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,181 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1906 DCAM "V" Nickel (my profile coin)

  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,181 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 5, 2019 12:35PM

    Oops - never mind, I missed the $20k cap. The price cap really makes this a hard thought experiment.

  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,181 ✭✭✭✭✭

    1962-D, 1969-D, or 1968-D Nickels in FS

  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,181 ✭✭✭✭✭

    You could pick a number of low grade proof quarter eagle and proof gold dollars probably.

  • scubafuelscubafuel Posts: 1,984 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @cameonut2011 good points on some. Not sure those ultra rarities would be under $20k though.

  • cameonut2011cameonut2011 Posts: 10,181 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 5, 2019 12:36PM

    @scubafuel said:
    @cameonut2011 good points on some. Not sure those ultra rarities would be under $20k though.

    I just saw that. Sorry. The $20k cap makes this very tough. Most things that are legitimately scarce (absolute and not condition/designation/variety rarity) are priced into the stratosphere.

  • scubafuelscubafuel Posts: 1,984 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very true! I think it's pretty interesting that for almost any US coin that a "normal" person might want to buy (not trying to start a discussion on whether normal people pay $20k for coins!), one is usually available at any given time on the internet.
    It may not be very nice, or priced right, but at least it does exist.

    When you move to world coins, this gets thrown out the window, and many things hardly ever pop up. Which is intriguing since most of the world is online.

    If coin collecting is at least partly the "thrill of the hunt", maybe more people will take up the challenge of certain world series.

  • Walkerguy21DWalkerguy21D Posts: 11,817 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Certainly not a mega rarity like many posted here, but a 20D walker in true AU is pretty tough.
    Not seeing any on eBay or Collectors.com, that have links to a number of dealer sites.

    Successful BST transactions with 171 members. Ebeneezer, Tonedeaf, Shane6596, Piano1, Ikenefic, RG, PCGSPhoto, stman, Don'tTelltheWife, Boosibri, Ron1968, snowequities, VTchaser, jrt103, SurfinxHI, 78saen, bp777, FHC, RYK, JTHawaii, Opportunity, Kliao, bigtime36, skanderbeg, split37, thebigeng, acloco, Toninginthblood, OKCC, braddick, Coinflip, robcool, fastfreddie, tightbudget, DBSTrader2, nickelsciolist, relaxn, Eagle eye, soldi, silverman68, ElKevvo, sawyerjosh, Schmitz7, talkingwalnut2, konsole, sharkman987, sniocsu, comma, jesbroken, David1234, biosolar, Sullykerry, Moldnut, erwindoc, MichaelDixon, GotTheBug
  • shorecollshorecoll Posts: 5,447 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Walkerguy21D, they must exist...they're in all the price guides! :#

    ANA-LM, NBS, EAC
  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 9,516 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If you include US exonumia, I can go one better.
    There are a couple so-called-dollars that I have NEVER seen for sale, anywhere.

    Moonlight Mint
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I simply am not in search of anything that rare. As I have mentioned before, my current collecting interests are only for coins that catch my attention... nothing specific, just really nice....And all so far have been well below 20K... ;) Cheers, RickO

  • nagsnags Posts: 845 ✭✭✭✭

    Not sure if they fit the criteria, but there are several non-cc GSA hardpacks that would qualify.

  • GazesGazes Posts: 2,315 ✭✭✭✭✭

    there are a ton of liberty quarter eagles that would meet the OP's criteria (i.e an 1849-d quarter eagle in ms61 or ms 60).

  • RichieURichRichieURich Posts: 8,591 ✭✭✭✭✭

    There are several varieties in the Cherrypickers Guide that I never see anywhere.

    An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.

  • msch1manmsch1man Posts: 809 ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 5, 2019 8:42PM

    How about an 1823 Bust Quarter?

    Re-reading the OP...I see that wouldn't qualify either based on the 'under 20k' part...huh, seems like this should be an easier question to answer without going into varieties.

  • kbbpllkbbpll Posts: 542 ✭✭✭✭

    Find me a Canada 1947 50 cent Maple Leaf "Curved Right". Bonus if it's not Specimen.

  • Eric_BabulaEric_Babula Posts: 441 ✭✭✭✭

    Ha! I can't comment on whether these kinds of coins are available! My collecting habits (aka budget) is such that I can't even think of purchasing a coin in the 4-digits, much less in the 5-digits!!! Sorry, I'm of no help, here! :smile:

    Rocking my "shiny-object-syndrome"!!!

  • UnknownUnknown
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  • ElmerFusterpuckElmerFusterpuck Posts: 4,845 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Graded examples of the following:

    1864 or 1865 (any mint) seated halves in nice XF or AU
    1917-S reverse walker in XF/AU
    1830 Large Letters capped bust half

    10-4,
    Erik
    My registry sets

    My Instagram pictures

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