You don’t need to be a coin collector to know that certain nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars and the like are worth serious cash — well beyond their face value.
Certain coins, like nickels, dimes, quarters and half dollars, are known to be worth more than their face value, especially if they're rare. If you have some old or rare-looking coins, you might want to get them appraised. But only do this if you're fairly certain they're worth something, as professional appraisals typically cost money. Before spending your money, or tossing that random old nickel in a wishing well, do a quick online search to see if it could be worth good money.
With that in mind, here are five rare coins to hold on to in 2025.
1913 Liberty Head NickelVery few Liberty Head nickels were made in 1913, but almost none currently exist. Two of them are held in private collections, so you’re not likely to ever see one of those. The Eliasberg specimen has the highest PCGS grade (PR66) and sold for $1,480,000 in 1996. It was put on auction again in March 2001 for about $1,840,000. Then again in 2005, it was sold to the Legend Numismatics for $4,150,000. It was sold one more time in 2007 for $5 million.
While you might not have this specific coin, you could have similar ones that are worth well over the five cents you’d expect.1794 Flowing Hair DollarMinted sometime between 1794 and 1795, this coin bears a similar size and weight to the Spanish dollar. The front side has a bust of Lady Liberty, while the back side has an eagle framed by a wreath. It was designed by Robert Scot, but was eventually replaced by the Draped Bust dollar.
According to the PCGS, this is a very rare coin with only 150 to 200 still around today. One 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar sold for $6.6 million, but many of the 1794 MS titled coins have gone for anywhere from several thousand to $100K at auction.1940s Mercury DimeQuite a few rare, valuable coins from the 1940s are still around today. The 1940s mercury dime was part of the 1916 to 1945 series. Roughly 21.5 million were minted.
These dimes were designed by Adolph Alexander Weinman and have sold for as much as $8,519 at auctions. This coin isn’t nearly as valuable as some others on this list, but that’s still a decent sum, especially for a random dime you might have inherited.
The front side shows a young Liberty wearing a winged cap. The back shows an olive branch around a fasces.Saint-Gaudens Double EagleThis coin was originally valued at $20 and was minted between 1907 and 1933. Named by its designer, the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, it has Lady Liberty holding a torch and an olive branch with a shining sun as the backdrop. The United States Capitol is also visible, along with 46 stars. The back has an eagle before a sun. Some of the minted coins didn’t have “In God We Trust.”
For the 1907 version of this coin, a 68 grade has an estimated value of $300,000. The auction record for a MS67 grade was $276,000.1909-S Indian Head PennyWith just over 300,000 ever minted, this penny is another rare coin that’s worth holding onto. It was designed by James Barton Longacre and has received an NGC Genuine grade. At auction, it sold for $3,400 in 2021. Some of these coins are worth more, depending on the grade.
The front of this penny shows Lady Liberty wearing a headdress. The back has a laurel wreath surrounding the words “One Cent.” These coins were part of the Indian Cent series that ran from 1859 to 1909.
