For the time being, the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar may hold the title of most expensive coins ever sold. Some analysts think 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar was the United States Mint's first silver dollar. A profile of Lady Liberty with flowing hair appears on the front, while an American eagle appears on the reverse. The currency was struck in 1794 and 1795 and was modeled after the Spanish dollar, which was widely used in trade across the Americas. Fewer than 1,800 of these coins were ever made, and one expert estimates that just 120 to 130 exist, making them very uncommon.

Colonel E.H.R. Green had previously possessed the coin, which was auctioned off by Stack's Bowers Galleries in January 2013. Former owner Steven Contursi described the coin as a "national treasure".

Price: over $10 million

The 1787 Brasher Doubloon was the first gold coin issued in the United States, and it is considered one of the most important coins in the country's numismatic history. Ephraim Brasher, a New York City goldsmith and silversmith, created the Brasher Doubloon in the late 18th century. The state seal with a rising sun appears on the front of the coin, while the American eagle with a shield appears on the reverse. The coin is already uncommon, but different variants have sold for different amounts based on its unique qualities.

A variation of the doubloon with Brasher's signature EB on the breast sold for over $7.4 million in a 2011 auction. According to Coin World, another doubloon with the signature EB on the bird's wing sold for more than $5 million in a private sale in 2018. Another Brasher doubloon sold for $9.36 million in a third auction in January 2021.

Price: $9.36 million

The 1933 Double Eagle is a 20-dollar gold coin from the United States. Despite the fact that 445,500 Saint-Gaudens double eagles were coined in 1933, none were ever formally circulated, and all but two were ordered to be melted down. However, it is known that 20 more were saved from melting by being stolen and eventually finding their way into the hands of collectors before being recovered. Only 13 known examples survive, with only one being privately held. Nine of the recovered coins were destroyed, making 1933 Double Eagle one of the world's rarest coins.

It's worth noting that owning one of these coins is still illegal, and if you're caught with one, it will be taken immediately. However, one private owner was able to get a coin that had formerly belonged to King Farouk of Egypt, but was obliged to sell it and divide the revenues with the US mint.

The 1933 Double Eagle sold at auction in 2002 for $7,590,020.

Price: $7.5 million

An oldie and goldie is another of the world's most expensive coins. The 1343 Edward III Florin is one of just three gold coins of this kind known to survive. The British Museum in London has two instances, both of which were discovered in the River Tyne in 1857. In 2006, a prospector using a metal detector discovered the third coin.

The front of the coin depicts King Edward III on his throne, flanked on either side by two leopard heads, while the reverse depicts the Royal Cross inside a quatrefoil. The coin is also known as the Double Leopard because of its design.

The coin discovered in 2006 was auctioned for 480,000 pounds, or roughly $850,000, setting a record for a British currency at the time. The coin is currently thought to be worth roughly $6.8 million.

Price: $6.8 million

The 723 Umayyad Gold Dinar is one of the most valuable Islamic coins. The gold dinar is an Islamic medieval gold currency initially minted by Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan in AH 77 (696–697 CE). The dinar is 1 mithqal in weight (4.25 grams or 0.137 troy ounces). The coin is the earliest Islamic currency to specify a place in Saudi Arabia, and it contains the inscription "mine of the commander of the faithful." Experts estimate that about a dozen specimens of the coin exist.

The 723 Umayyad Gold Dinar sold for 3.7 million pounds (about $6 million) at auction in 2011, making it the second most expensive coin ever sold at auction. Another variant of the coin was sold at the same price in pounds in 2019, however the dollar value was almost $4.8 million.

Price: $4.8 million

The 1913 Liberty Head V Nickel isn't as ancient as some of the others on this list, but it doesn't make it any less valuable. It's one of the rarest coins in the world. The 1913 Liberty Head V Nickel was produced by the United States Mint from 1883 to 1913, however only five coins are said to have been produced in the last year.

Since the year 2000, examples of the currency have been auctioned off a few times, each time fetching millions of dollars. According to reports, one version sold for $4.15 million in 2005 and was later flipped for $5 million in 2007. In 2010, another specimen sold for more than $3.7 million, while another was sold for $4.56 million in 2018.

A few museums, notably the Smithsonian Institution, may have one of the coins on display.

Price: $4.56 million

The $1 million Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coin is a novelty coin if ever there was one, weighing in at a staggering 100 kilograms (220 pounds). As of February 2022, just six of the virtually pure gold coins have ever been produced, each with a face value of $1 million. They served as a display piece for the mint's one-ounce Gold Maple Leaf coins.

The coin was confirmed as the world's biggest gold coin by the Guinness Book of World Records in October 2007. The face of the coin depicts Queen Elizabeth II, while the reverse depicts a maple leaf from Canada. The coin is 50 centimeters in diameter and is slightly over an inch thick.

In 2010, the coin was auctioned for 3.27 million euros, which was little over $4 million at the time.

Price: $4 million

Another coin you could discover stashed within a drawer is the 1943 Lincoln Head Copper Penny, which is intriguing and valuable due to the circumstances surrounding its manufacturing.

While pennies were traditionally made of copper and nickel, the United States required the metals for war activities, so the mint began utilizing steel. However, 1943 Lincoln Head Copper Penny struck a batch of copper pennies by accident, possibly because blanks remained in the press when the mint began producing new steel coins. Experts believe there are roughly 40 of these pennies left, however some claim there are just about 20.

Because it's very easy to cover steel pennies with copper and change the date on coins issued in 1945, 1948, and 1949, the US Mint believes these coins are often counterfeited. You may check if the coin is steel by seeing if it clings to a magnet. In a recent auction, a variant of this coin sold for $1.75 million in 2010.

Price: $1.75 million

The 1787 Fugio cent may not have established the same world records as the other two coins on our list, but it can still be a costly collection with a fascinating history. The Fugio cent, often known as the Franklin cent after founding father Benjamin Franklin, is said to be the first currency to circulate in the newly founded United States. This is one of the most expensive coins in the world.

The coin depicts a sun and sundial with the Latin phrase "fugio," implying that the sun and time are flying, in keeping with Franklin's wit. "Mind your business," the coin states at the bottom, an encouragement for the holder to physically pay attention to their business matters. The phrase "We are one" appears on the back of the coin, with 13 links in a chain representing America's original 13 states.

Price: $10,000

Morgan Silver Dollars aren't very uncommon in and of themselves, but some of the most rare vintages may command astronomical sums. Even if you don't have one of the more unusual varieties, the Morgan is a lovely coin with the substantial feel of a well-balanced, 90% silver coin.

Its silver content and the current price of the precious metal, Morgan should bring at least $20. The following Morgan examples, on the other hand, can bring in a lot more, but pay attention to the mint mark, which is an alphabetical designation on some coins.

According to CoinTrackers, each of them might fetch anywhere from $100,000 to $550,000 if it's in pristine condition. There are even more variations of the Morgan silver dollar that may fetch tens of thousands of dollars.

Price: at least $10