* Value: $3,000 to $4,000
* Mintage: 5
* Designer: Charles E. Barber
* Composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel
* Weight: 5 grams
* Diameter: 21.2 mm
* Thickness: 2.0 mm
The 1913 Liberty Head nickel is one of the rarest and most valuable coins in American numismatics. Only five examples are known to exist, and they are all privately owned. The coin was never officially released into circulation, and its existence was unknown to the public until 1920.
The 1913 Liberty Head nickel was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1913. The coin was supposed to be a pattern coin, meaning it was used to test the design of the new nickel before it was released into circulation. However, five of the coins were accidentally struck on regular nickel planchets instead of pattern planchets. These coins are known as "Type 2" 1913 Liberty Head nickels.
The Type 2 1913 Liberty Head nickel is one of the most valuable coins in the world. The last one to sell at auction brought a price of $4.5 million in 2018.