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The last decade of the 20th century produced coins that even today modern numismatic enthusiasts spend three, four and even five-figure sums to acquire. The U.S. Mint produced collector coins and error strikes that turned gold coins, silver proofs, and even garden-variety pocket coins into valuable collectibles.
Here are some of the rarest and most valuable coins from the 1990s.
1990-99 dual denomination coins
Dual denomination coins are one of the most coveted items in the world of numismatics. As the name suggests, this minting error occurs when two denominations are mistakenly struck on the same coin.
according to Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS)This mistake affected almost every coin series of the 20th century – including coins of the 1990s. The most common pairings so far are:
- Lincoln cent on the Roosevelt dime, known as 11c (11 cents)
- Jefferson Nickel on Lincoln St., or 6c
The two large combinations are rare items that can be valuable. All others are extremely rare, with only 25 to 50 known examples for each entire coin series.
An example from the 1990s of the more common, but still rare, 11C coupling Being auctioned on eBay for $2,400.
1992 AM Close Lincoln St.
The 1992 Close AM and 1992-D Close AM (“D” is for Denver) are some of the rarest and most valuable coins of the 1990s. According to PCGS, the US Mint slightly adjusted the penny’s design in ’92 to enable higher quality strikes. They were to be released in 1993, and most were – most, but not all.
In 1992 a handful of the more than 4 billion Lincoln coins minted at the Philadelphia and Denver mints were accidentally scattered. These highly elusive “transitional” coins can easily fetch four figures, even in worn condition, with pristine examples fetching five figures.
1995-W $1 Silver Eagle Proof
The US Mint launched the American Eagle coin program in 1986, including a special proof edition for collectors. The $1 silver proof has since become an icon, and according to the PCGS – which ranks it at No. 13 on its list Top 100 Modern Coins — 1995 is the most iconic year of all. This is because it was the first year to bear the “W” mint mark, indicating its production at the West Point Mint, and because of its low mintage – only 30,125 were produced.
In 2013, a sold for $86,655 and the second fetched $55,550.
1997-W Jackie Robinson $5 Gold Coin
In 1997, the U.S. Mint commissioned the West Point Mint (W) to produce 100,000 gold Half Eagles to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of Jackie Robinson by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
This quantity can never be produced.
According to the Numismatic Guaranty Company, demand for the coin was “shockingly low” despite the enduring popularity of the man who broke the baseball color barrier and paved the way for the unification of professional sports. Of the many commemorative coins produced that year, it performed by far the worst. However, that low demand has turned it into an in-demand collector coin. The PCGS ranked it as the 24th best modern coin as only 5,174 coins were minted. Originally selling for $180, today their selling prices typically command four figures.