Here Are 8 Coins You Should Never Spend — They Could Pay for Your Retirement
Written by
Emily Fowler
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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Planning for retirement is never easy, especially as there’s no universal figure for what people are going to need. According to Clever Real Estate, retired Americans estimate someone would need $823,800 in savings and investments to retire comfortably in 2026.
For anyone worried about not being able to build that kind of retirement fund, a lottery ticket is tempting. But there’s another potential (albeit unlikely) source of that kind of windfall: rare coins. There are coins which, if sold, would likely net seven figures, and some could still be hiding in inherited boxes or long-forgotten safes.
Though their owners would struggle to actually “spend” them, these eight coins have potential values that could rival a retirement portfolio, according to USA Coin Book.
1943-D Lincoln Wheat Cent Bronze
Most 1943 pennies were made from steel due to wartime copper shortages, though a very small number were struck on leftover copper blanks, and only one Denver-minted example is known to exist. Depending on condition, values can range from hundreds of thousands to more than $2 million. This coin is heavily counterfeited, so authentication is important.
1796 Turban Head Gold Quarter Eagle
The quarter eagle was first produced in 1796, and there are two versions, one with stars on the front and one without. Both versions are valued at over $1 million in mint condition, the version with stars up to almost $1.7 million and without stars over $2.4 million.
1798 Turban Head Gold Half Eagle Small Eagle
Only seven examples of this coin, with the head facing right, are known to exist, and some haven’t been seen since the 1940s. If anyone was to come across such a rare coin in a forgotten collection, they could be looking at a retirement fund of more than $2 million if it was in mint condition.
1870-S Seated Liberty Silver Dollar
The US Mint has no official record of producing this coin, yet about 15 are believed to exist. Examples in uncirculated mint condition can be worth more than $2 million.
1870-CC Coronet Head Gold Double Eagle
Carson City mint gold coins are incredibly rare and highly collectible. Uncirculated examples of this $20 coin have been valued at nearly $2 million, making it one of the most valuable 19th-century U.S. gold coins around.
1839 Coronet Head Gold Eagle Large Letters Type of 1838
This variety uses an earlier Liberty head design and distinctive large lettering on the reverse. Proof examples have been valued at more than $1.9 million.
1927-D Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle
This extremely rare gold coin is hard to find. Well-preserved examples can be worth more than $1.8 million, showing how a single coin can be worth more than most retirement accounts.
1795 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar With Silver Plug
In the 1790s, some silver dollars were altered to ensure proper weight by adding a small silver plug to the center before striking. In mint condition, these coins could have a value of around $1.8 million.
Like a lottery win, rare coins aren’t a replacement for disciplined saving or investing. Still, collectibles like this can carry extraordinary financial weight. For anyone with old coins passed down through family or stored away years ago, a professional appraisal may reveal something far more significant than face value.
Editor’s note: all coin values were sourced from USA Coin Book.
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