Behind the glitter of recognized rarities and epic collections are unsung coin collecting heroes. These underdog stories demonstrate tenacity, passion, and the human spirit, from neglected discoveries to unlikely acquisitions.
A couple strolling their dog in California's Gold Country found a rusted can in 2013. They were unaware that it contained approximately 1,400 mid-19th-century gold coins worth $10 million. The Saddle Ridge Hoard showed that unexpected finds may be amazing.
1
George O. Walton, a coin collector, went a Baltimore coin show in 2003 to uncover unusual treasures. A rare 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, one of five known, was among his purchases.
2
Due to a few diligent collectors, the 1955 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent was recognized after being rejected as a production error. These underdogs boosted the coin's significance, making it one of the most famous and valued mistake coins in numismatic history.
3
The California Gold Rush-laden SS Central America sank off South Carolina in 1857 during a hurricane. The ship and its wealth were lost at sea for almost a century.
4
To conserve copper for the war effort, the U.S. Mint made pennies from zinc-coated steel during WWII. A few copper planchets were misminted with 1943.
5
While searching for a misplaced hammer in a field near Hoxne, England, metal detectorist Eric Lawes found a trove of Roman silver and gold coins in 1992. Over 15,000 late Roman coins and antiquities were found in the Hoxne Hoard.
6
The rare and valuable 1804 Draped Bust Dollar, known as the "King of American Coins," eluded collectors for decades. Despite numismatic skepticism, Norweb Harrison Reed bought one of these fabled coins for $7,750 in 1962.
7
The Confederate Half Dollar, minted in 1861, symbolized Southern independence during the Civil War. After a few were made, production stopped, and most were lost or destroyed.
8
The Garrett Collection was one of the largest and most important American coin and medal collections, assembled by the Garrett family over several generations.
9
In coin collecting history, underdogs who bucked the odds and achieved extraordinary discoveries are as intriguing as the coins.
..................................................