• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
auctions

This Rare Coin Just Sold for $2 Million

By
Chris Matthews
Chris Matthews
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Matthews
Chris Matthews
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 8, 2016, 1:22 PM ET
Courtesy of Heritage Auctions

Talk about a return on investment.

If you were lucky enough to have gotten your hands on the rare 1894-S struck by the San Francisco mint during that year, you could have sold it today for a cool, 20 million percent return.

That’s right, at an auction run by Heritage Auctions in Tampa, Florida, the rare coin sold for $2 million, the company tells Fortune. The dime is prized by coin collectors for its rarity: there were only 24 ever minted, and only 9 are thought to still be in existence today.

David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, California, told ABC News, “A couple of coins have been known among the rarest of the rare for 100 years and this is one of those numismatic icons.”

Both the buyer and seller of the coin wish to remain anonymous, but a statement from Heritage refers to the buyer, who placed his bid online, as “an experienced collector.”

 

About the Author
By Chris Matthews
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.