Over the last century, Samuelson’s Buyers has learned a lot about coin worth, valuable American coins, and the most valuable coins in general. Some might think coin collecting has gone by the wayside. However, some old coins retain their value incredibly well – far beyond their purchasing power. Additionally, the rarer they are, the more they can command. Rare coins are exceptionally unusual to come across, but we love it when we do!

Before we dive in, it’s important to remember that coins are currency and therefore were always meant to be spent. As long as it’s still in circulation and backed by the government that minted it, a coin can always be spent for its face value. In other words, your penny will always be worth a penny. But that penny (or any other coin) can be worth much more, too.

The materials that coins are minted on also play a role in old coin value. Precious metals such as gold and silver have fluctuating markets, which can make coins minted from those materials worth more than their face value. For example, a 1oz. American Gold Eagle with a face value of $50 is worth more than $1800 currently (June 2020). Even certain quarters can have surprising value because of their silver content. Quarters minted prior to 1965 are 90% silver by weight or about $3.50-$4.00 in silver value alone.