Human beings have used coins for currency for thousands of years on nearly every continent on the planet. Each coin is a small piece of history that is tied to the economic and political movements of the time. This concept applies vastly more to some coins than it does for others. Every coin on this list is impressive and rare because of the events that were going on around the time they were created. To have just one of these coins would mean that your collection is a head and shoulder above most others. Here are 6 coins that any coin collector would love to have in their collection...
1. 1877 three-cent nickel
During the civil war, the previous three-cent piece was made of copper and silver, and had to be recalled due to a scarcity of available supplies during the war. This led to the replacement of the coin with an over-abundance of paper bills that were only worth three cents. These pieces of paper were essentially worthless and hated by the public, who dubbed them “shinplasters.” In 1865, at the urging of nickel industrialist Joseph Wharton, the U.S. created a new three-cent coin that was made primarily of nickel. The rarest of these coins is the 1877 version, where only a handful were ever minted, due to being replaced by the five-cent nickel.
1. 1877 three-cent nickel
During the civil war, the previous three-cent piece was made of copper and silver, and had to be recalled due to a scarcity of available supplies during the war. This led to the replacement of the coin with an over-abundance of paper bills that were only worth three cents. These pieces of paper were essentially worthless and hated by the public, who dubbed them “shinplasters.” In 1865, at the urging of nickel industrialist Joseph Wharton, the U.S. created a new three-cent coin that was made primarily of nickel. The rarest of these coins is the 1877 version, where only a handful were ever minted, due to being replaced by the five-cent nickel.
