Being an avid coin collector, I come across a lot of United States and foreign coins that I find very interesting and unique. There are many designs that I find so cool and I would like to share my 10 favorite United States coin designs. Many of these coins have been out of circulation for years and are hard to find unless you go to a coin shop. Read the list and decide which is your favorite!
10. Mercury Dime
First on the list is a Mercury Dime. Commonly misinterpreted as being made partially of the element mercury, this dime has a portrait of Liberty on the obverse (front side) and a olive branch circling a fasces, or bundle of rods on the reverse (back side). On its introduction into circulation in 1916, people mistook the portrait of Liberty as a portrait of the Roman god Mercury, hence its nickname. This dime is 90% silver which makes it hard to come by in circulation, but based on the market could get you about 150x its face value for its silver content. Simple, but very interesting! Minted from 1916-1945.
9. Indian Cent
Next up we have an Indian Head Penny. This coin had two different compositions in its life, one being a copper-nickel composition, and the other being a bronze composition. This coin also has a common misconception in that the obverse portrait of Liberty wearing a head dress was originally thought to be a Native American chief, hence its nickname. The reverse has a simple design of a wreath and a shield surrounding the face value of the coin. Depending on its condition and year, these are anywhere from commonly seen at a coin shop to rare. Even though penny rolls usually contain coins dating back to the wheat penny, these have been found in circulation! Minted from 1859-1909.
8. Liberty Nickel
Number 8 is a Liberty Head Nickel. Unlike the previous coins, there is no misconception about this coin as it is clearly a portrait of Liberty on the obverse. One of the coolest features of this coin's design is the fact that on the reverse of the coin is a Roman numeral "V", denoting the face value of the coin. This breaks from the convention of typically having the English word written out on the coin. Because of this, it is often referred to as the "V Nickel". An interesting feature of this coin is that in its first year of circulation (1883) had two varieties, one with "cents" written on the back, as featured above, and one without cents written. Minted from 1883-1913.
7. Franklin Half Dollar
Next we have a coin that was minted for one of the shortest spans of time in American history. Only lasting for 16 years, this coin features a portrait of Benjamin Franklin on the obverse, and an image of the Liberty Bell on the reverse. Interestingly, the designer included the crack of the liberty bell in its design. Like the Mercury dime, these coins have 90% silver content and are quite valuable, relative to its face value. There is a humorous variety of this coin called "Bugs Bunny" where it looks like Franklin has bucked teeth, minted in 1955. Minted from 1948-1963.
6. Standing Liberty Quarter
The sixth coin on this list is the Standing Liberty Quarter. The obverse shows a triumphant design of Liberty bearing a shield standing at an opening between two walls. On the reverse is an eagle in mid-flight, surrounded by stars. The quarter has been around since the beginning of United States coinage and this specific design is my favorite out of all of the quarter designs. It truly captures the essence of America through Liberty and the eagle which highlights this country and its history. Minted from 1916-1930.
5. Morgan Dollar
This next coin is one of the most collected throughout United States history. The Morgan Dollar, named after its designer George T. Morgan, was used as the dollar coin of the United States from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. One interesting fact about this coin is that it was minted in different cities throughout the country, at some facilities that are no longer in operation! Some of these include Carson City, Nevada (featured above, mint mark found below the wreath at the eagle's tail feathers) and New Orleans, Louisiana. Also, this coin is made out of 90% silver. Minted from 1878-1904 and 1921.
4. Buffalo Nickel
The Buffalo Nickel is known to many people, even if they are not coin collectors. Its unique reverse, showing a buffalo represents the Westward expansion of the United States. On the obverse is a Native American chief with the year of mintage on his right shoulder. One interesting variety is the 1937-D coin which features a buffalo with only three legs. This misprint is quite valuable as it is an error. People have been known to wear down or chip at the foremost leg of the buffalo to construct their own "Three-Legged Buffalo Nickel", so be careful if you're seeking one of your own! Minted from 1913-1938.
3. Flying Eagle Cent
The second penny on this list, the Flying Eagle Cent is one of my favorites. Officially minted for only three years, this penny shows a powerful design of an eagle in flight on the obverse, and the classic "ONE CENT" surrounded by a wreath on the reverse which was also found on the Indian Head penny. One of the things I found most interesting about this coin that is not evident from the picture is the fact that its width is greater than that of a penny seen today. When I first saw one in person, I was astonished as to how thick this penny was. Very interesting how composition and structure of United States coins change over time. Minted from 1956-1958.
2. Walking Liberty Half Dollar
The runner-up for my favorite coin design is none other than the Walking Liberty Half Dollar. A truly spectacular design, the obverse shows a portrait of Liberty mid-stride with the sun ablaze in the background while she lifts her right arm out to the distance in front of her. The reverse shows one of the coolest eagle designs on United States coinage with its wings spread, perched on a branch. This coin is widely regarded as one of America's most beautiful and I agree wholeheartedly. The fact that so much detail can be given to a simple half dollar is amazing. Minted from 1916-1947.
1. Peace Dollar
Finally, the coin design that I find most aesthetically pleasing is the Peace Dollar, minted alongside the Morgan Dollar in 1921 and on its own until the 1930's. The obverse of this awesome coin shows a portrait of Liberty. Despite the fact that it is a fairly plain choice for an obverse, the reverse is the reason that this coin takes the number one spot. The perched eagle on a rock with the inscription "PEACE" below its talons shows the intention of America of spreading peace. Peace has had nothing to do with United States coinage up to this point, so the fact that the designer includes it on this dollar coin is fascinating. The sun shines in the background and truly shows the triumph of the American eagle. Minted from 1921-1935.
Thank you so much for reading my article! I have been collecting coins for about ten years and it is truly a passion for me. There are certainly other United States coins out there that have incredible designs that I did not list, but I figured that I would list those that are out of circulation but can be found easily at coin stores. Depending on the year and the condition, all of these coins could be sold at a moderate or expensive price. I love this hobby and if this interests you, feel free to ask me any questions about coins! I would be happy to help out, and be sure to pick your favorite design from this list.
