A rare dime that remained hidden for decades and sold at auction for half a million dollars, but Americans are unlikely to find a similar dime in their wallets.
The coin, which was minted by the U.S. Mint in San Francisco in 1975, is one of only two known coins to lack the “S” mark for the city.
The other was sold at auction in 2019 for a whopping $456,000, and again to a private collector a few days later for $516,000. AP News reported.
Ian Russell, president of GreatCollections, the specialist who handled the sale, revealed that the coin sold for $506,250 at an online auction last month.
The coin, which was minted by the U.S. Mint in San Francisco in 1975, is one of only two known coins to lack the “S” mark for San Francisco.
Although coin collectors were aware of the existence of these two rare dimes, their whereabouts had remained a mystery since the late 1970s.
In 1975, the San Francisco mint produced more than 2.8 million uncirculated six-coin “proof” sets that sold for $7.
It wasn’t until a few years later that collectors noticed that two dimes from the set were missing the ‘S’ mark.
Three Ohio sisters inherited one of the rare dimes after their brother’s recent death, Russell told AP News, after it was hidden in a bank vault for more than four decades.
The sisters, who have chosen to remain anonymous, said their brother and mother bought the coin in 1978 for $18,200, which amounts to about $90,000 today.
Their parents, who ran a dairy farm, saw the currency as a financial safety net, they told Russell.
Three sisters from Ohio inherited the rare dime after the recent death of their brother
While there’s a chance more examples of the rare dime exist, they can only be found among the 1975 “proof” sets, and not in your change, experts say.
While there is a chance that more examples of the rare dime exist, they would only be found in the 1975 “proof” sets, says Ian Russell, president of GreatCollections
For those hoping to find a rare coin in their pocket money, Russell has some bad news.
While there is a chance that more copies of the rare dime exist, they can only be found in the 1975 “proof” sets.
‘If you have old proof sets at home, your grandfather or father may have ordered them and forgotten about them. If you have 1975, check the dime,” Russell said.
Last year, Russell revealed to DailyMail.com the most valuable pieces he has ever sold at auction, including a $12 million silver dollar and a set of Lincoln cents that fetched $7.7 million.
He developed an interest in rare currencies in his teens and now typically sells up to 5,000 coins a week.