While the United States has many coins that collectors strongly pursue, coin investors may choose to broaden a collection by including international pieces in their portfolios. This overview identifies several foreign coins regarded as among the most valuable ever produced for readers interested in that wider category.
The 1343 Edward III Florin
The Edward III Florin is considered one of the most valuable foreign coins. Minted in medieval England, it originally carried a value of six shillings. Specialists believed that just three examples remained worldwide. Each was valued at approximately $6.8 million. Since a shilling is worth roughly 24 cents, the coin’s value had clearly risen far beyond inflation.
2007 C$1m Coin
The Royal Canadian Mint created this 99.99% gold coin, an especially striking 100kg. Valued at $4.1 million, it exceeded its gold weight in value. It was taken from Germany’s Bode Museum in 2017. The coin was not recovered; the assumption was that the thieves melted it and sold the gold as smaller pieces.
723 Umayyad Gold Dinar
Produced centuries ago, in the year 723, the Umayyad Gold Dinar sold at auction in 2011 for £3.7 million ($6 million at that time). It was believed to have come from Saudi Arabia’s Hejaz region. Made entirely of gold, the coin bears an inscription translated as “Mine of the commander of the faithful in the Hejaz.”
Silver Tetradrachms of Naxos
Tetradrachms originated in ancient Greece and remained in use for centuries. These silver coins were struck throughout the Greek empire, with many cities producing distinct versions. A Naxos tetradrachm brought $613,999 at an auction in 2016. Believed to date to about 460 B.C., it portrays a bearded Dionysus and his companion Silenus drinking wine.
Although these coins may have been beyond the reach of most collectors, the original article stated that international coins could be a sensible investment. When this article was originally published, Atlanta Gold & Coin Buyers described itself as an experienced coin dealer offering fair prices. It also stated that, because transparency mattered, it was the only Atlanta-area coin dealer posting buying rates online. At publication, readers interested in investing in foreign coins were invited to call 404-236-9744.
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