Only five of these nickels were ever minted, and they were believed to be lost for decades. In 2003, one of them was discovered in a car wreck, leading to a legal battle over its ownership and eventual sale for over $3 million.
During World War II, pennies were supposed to be made of zinc-coated steel to conserve copper for the war effort. However, a few copper pennies were mistakenly minted in 1943. One of these coins sold for over $200,000 in 2010.
In 1955, a small number of pennies were minted with a double image due to a minting error. These coins are highly sought after by collectors and can fetch thousands of dollars.
In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered that all gold coins be turned in to help stabilize the economy. However, a few 1933 Double Eagle gold coins were stolen and sold illegally. One of these coins sold for over $7 million at auction in 2002.
In 1974, a few aluminum pennies were minted as an experimental coin. One of these coins was found by a teenager in his lunch money and later sold for over $200,000.
In 2013, a couple in California discovered a cache of over 1,400 gold coins buried on their property. The coins, minted from 1847 to 1894, were valued at over $10 million.
In 1914, the Denver Mint accidentally used a 1913 die to mint a small number of Lincoln cents. These coins are extremely rare and can fetch tens of thousands of dollars.
Minted by Ephraim Brasher in 1787, the Brasher Doubloon is one of the rarest and most valuable coins in American numismatic history. Only a few are known to exist, with one selling for over $7 million in 2011.