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1913 Liberty Head Nickel: A Mysterious Coin
The 1913 Liberty Head Nickel is one of the maximum interesting and preferred cash in numismatic history. The most placing element approximately this coin is that most effective 5 copies are acknowledged to exist, and there is a lot of mystery surrounding its life, that’s why it stays a middle of fascination for coin creditors and historians.
A Look at the History
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The Liberty Head layout changed into formally replaced through the Buffalo Nickel in 1913. But 5 Liberty Head nickel coins dated in 1913 surfaced, with no legitimate record in their advent.
It is assumed that those cash were secretly produced by way of Samuel W. Brown, a former Mint worker. He is said to have created these coins with the intention of making uncommon coins, possibly for private advantage.
Later, those cash have been displayed at the American Numismatic Association conference in 1920, where those coins made their first public look.
Distinguishing Features of the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel
The 1913 Liberty Head Nickel looks similar to the earlier Liberty Head Nickel, but has a few special features:
Obverse: It features the profile of Lady Liberty wearing a crown, with the word “LIBERTY” inscribed on it. Surrounding it are thirteen stars, symbolizing the original American colonies, and the year 1913 is inscribed below.
Reverse: It features a large “V” (which is the Roman numeral for five) surrounded by a wreath of corn, cotton, and wheat, signifying the nation’s agricultural heritage. Also inscribed are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
Features:
- Diameter: 21.2 millimeters
- Weight: 5 grams
- Composition: 75% copper and 25% nickel
- Edge: Smooth
Five Famous Coins
What makes this coin even more interesting is that each of the five known coins has its own history. The different stories about the origins and existence of these coins make them even more special.
Specimen Name | Current Location/Owner | Notable Facts |
---|---|---|
Eliasberg | Private Collection | Graded PR66, considered the finest of the five. Sold for $4,560,000 in 2018. |
Olsen-Hydeman | Private Collection | Featured in a 1973 episode of “Hawaii Five-O.” Sold for $3,737,500 in 2010. |
Norweb | Smithsonian Institution | Donated by the Norweb family in 1978; currently on display at the National Museum of American History. |
Walton | Private Collection | Believed lost for decades after a 1962 car accident; authenticated in 2003 and sold for $4,200,000 in 2022. |
McDermott-Bebee | American Numismatic Association’s Money Museum | The only specimen with circulation marks; donated to the ANA in 1989. |
Pricing and Considerations
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The price of a 1913 Liberty Head nickel depends on numerous elements, which include the coin’s history, its condition, and the demand within the marketplace.
Recent auctions have seen these cash fetch fees starting from $3 million to $5 million. For instance, a coin from the Elisburg series offered for $4,560,000 in 2018.
The 1913 Liberty Head nickel has grow to be a image of thriller and rarity in the numismatic global. Its mysterious origins and restrained numbers have made the coin a source of extremely good interest amongst creditors and historians to at the present time, making it a pretty sought-after coin during its records.
FAQs
1. Why is the 1913 Liberty Head nickel so valuable?
The 1913 Liberty Head nickel is incredibly valuable because it was struck illegally, with only five known examples. Its rarity and mysterious origin make it worth over $4.2 million.
2. What makes a coin “forbidden” or illegal?
“Forbidden” coins, like the 1913 Liberty Head nickel, are illegal because they were produced outside official minting procedures, often by mint workers who struck unauthorized pieces, making them extremely rare and valuable.
3. How many 1913 Liberty Head nickels are known to exist?
Only five 1913 Liberty Head nickels are known to exist, making them some of the rarest and most valuable coins in American numismatics, often worth millions of dollars.
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