Ten Most Beautiful 20th Century Coin Types

When you think about your collection, do you ever give any thought to which coins are the most beautiful? I confess that some of the coins I consider the most beautiful U.S. issues are not ones I collect. Of course, one reason for this is that they are just too expensive for my numismatic budget. The Stella, or $4 gold piece, comes readily to mind.

If I limit my consideration to just 20th century types, I find that expense becomes less of a factor. In this article, I’m going to tell you about the 10- 20th century types I consider to be incredibly beautiful. Along the way, I’ll also tell you whether or not I own one or more.

I’ll list my most beautiful types by denomination, with the lowest denominations first. In addition, I’ll throw commemorative coins into the mix, but I won’t include bullion coins.

1. 1913 Type 1 Buffalo Nickel. Notice I’m specifying the initial version of James Earle Fraser’s iconic design, the one with the bison on a mound. Unfortunately, this left the denomination, “Five Cents,” in an exposed position, and it was feared that the result would