The 1907 nickel I got in my 7-11 change one cold day. Pre-dates the buffalo head.
Zenster, I realize now you’re talking about the “high-relief” St. Gaudens double-eagle of 1907. You’re right with that one–there are only a few dozen around, mostly in samples that were spirited away from the Mint.
I’ve seen pictures of them in coin books, but I’ve never seen a real one. Personally, I can’t figure out why the Mint wasn’t able to redesign the coin so it had a raised edge (akin to a “clay” poker chip that you see in casinos) so it could be stacked. IIRC, the high-relief was hell on the stamping machines, and the Mint was concerned about that too.
I’ve always liked the big, old heavy Eisenhower silver dollars, which I don’t think are even minted anymore. Like the fifty-cent coin, which I also like, these coins “make a statement.” I’d feel rich with a pocketful of these. Since they’re hardly circulated I tend to hold onto the ones I get.
I’ve always been partial to the Lincoln penny. The 1909 S VDB Lincoln penny, to be precise. Dang, I wish I had a few of those…
Other than that, I’d have say the U.S. Silver Eagle for sheer beauty.
Barry
They stopped making those in 78 to make way for the 79 Susan B dollar.
The Japanese 1-yen coin, because it’s so “scienfitic” (geeky). It’s aluminum and weighs exactly 1 gram.
I came in here to mention the pound, just to find out it was mentioned in the OP! But still, that’s a coin that feels like it’s worth something. Does it have depleted uranium in it or something?
There’s also a cool Greek coin that I like. I don’t have it here with me, so this is from memory, but it has a Greek trireme on it. The special bit is that the water for the ship is raised up almost to full thickness while the sky is engraved out. It gives it a neat two level look.
Aha, here it is. The one on the top of this page. Everything below the water line is carved out, while above the water line is engraved normally.
There was a [story](http://www.coinresource.com/pr_mint/DoubleEagle1933.htm” one 1933 Double Eagle for the first (and only) time at this historic sale.”
) recently about one of the 1933 S.G. $20 coins. It seems that somehow one of these coins had escaped the melting pot and wound up in a private collection, but was seized in the 1990’s by the federal government as part of an unrelated forfeiture proceeding. The amusing thing is that, in addition to the multi-million price the coin was expected to fetch at auction, there would be the sum of $20.00 to pay to the U.S. treasury, to keep the books straight.
I don’t really have a US coin fave. I do however like the old Irish 50p coin. It looks kinda funny because of the seven sides, but that just makes it more interesting.
I agree. Virtually all modern coins are made of cheap metals, everyone being off the gold standard, but the U.S. has consistently done a terrible job converting from silver to nonprecious metals. The visible copper band on the edge of the dime, quarter, and half dollar does not look good. The only argument one could make in their favor is that, unlike most European coins I encountered while travelling there, they are not magnetic. Perhaps it was felt that a magnetic coin would not be considered real money.
(As for European coins, I’m referring to when I was there many years ago. I don’t know what the Euro coins are like).
“Get fries with that”? Nothing personal on you, BadBaby, but that’s pathetic. I’d like to have a coin I could buy the whole lunch with.
I still get excited when I get a wheat penny–which is increasingly rarely, nowadays.
My favorite European coins were the old Irish coins, with the animals on the reverse (esp. the 1 or 2p, which had Book of Kells-type critters). I’m sad to see they’re not on the Irish Euro.
Our two pound coins. They are the biggest coin, and fairly heavy and they are two colours. Gold outside and silver in the middle. I hardly every get them, although they are becomming more common since they were introduced.
I also like the Newton quote on them.
I changed :snort: my mind. I have a new favorite
Favorite large coins:
$20 Gold St. Gaudens (best of the best)
Mexican Silver Libertad (truly stunning)
Canadian Maple Leaf (silver or gold)
American Silver Eagle
Australian Kookaburra
China Gold Panda
China Silver Panda
Small coins:
Buffalo nickel
Liberty half
Franklin half
Oops. Forgot the $10 Gold Indian Head
Gold. There is nothing like gold. $20 Liberty gold coins, but any American gold coin is nice to have. Foreign gold coins are also nice.
Indian Head pennies. They’re just… cool.
ah yes…gold coins! The thought that in the old days our grandfathers or great-grandfathers might well go out of the house with a just $10- or $20- goldpiece in their vest pocket, and they’d be FLUSH.
Given how expensive it was to use the telephone in the early days, I wonder if there existed any pay phones that accepted gold coins? That’d give you something to think about the next time you feel like complaining that the payphone now charges $0.50 for a call.