In the fascinating realm of coin collecting, a select few specimens stand head and shoulders above the rest, prized for their rarity, historical significance and exceptional condition. The holy grails of numismatics, these coveted artefacts command prices that rival luxury mansions and swish yachts, eclipsing their original face value.

From exquisite gold pieces from the Ancient World to iconic early American silver dollars, read on for the 20 most valuable coins of all time. 

All dollar amounts in US dollars. Pre-2022 sums have been adjusted for inflation to give you an idea of their value in today's money.

As big as a coffee table, this 2007 gold coin weighs a hefty 220 pounds (100 kilos) and has a face value of a million Canadian dollars.

In 2010, the supersized coin, then the biggest gold coin ever minted, was bought by a Spanish gold trading firm at an auction in Austria for $4 million, the equivalent of $5.9 million (£4.4m) in today's money.

The most valuable coin from the Ancient World, this gold beauty depicts Brutus, one of the assassins of Julius Caesar, and commemorates the infamous Ides of March murder. Incredibly rare, only three are thought to exist.

Interest was understandably intense when one came up for sale at a Roma Numismatics auction in 2020. The coin realised $4.2 million ($5.2m/£3.9m today), more than six times its estimate.

This 1913 Liberty Head Nickel once belonged to collector George Walton. Mistakenly declared a fake in the 1960s, the coin languished in a drawer for decades before it was reappraised and found to be genuine.

The Walton Specimen, as it's known, sold in 2022 via GreatCollections for $4.2 million (£3.2m).

This Ultra High Relief Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, a standout piece from the extensive Harry. W Bass Jr. Core Collection, sold for $4.32 million (£3.2m) at a Heritage Auctions sale in 2023.

The proceeds from its sale went to the late philanthropist's charitable foundation.

Another of the 20 surviving Ultra High Relief Saints was put up for sale in 2021 by XTO Energy founder and Texas Rangers owner Bob R. Simpson.

Represented by GreatCollections, an anonymous buyer stumped up $4.75 million ($5.6m/£4.2m today) for the coin, making it the most expensive Ultra High Relief Saint-Gaudens to date.

Regarded as the rarest and most important Islamic coin, the Umayyad Gold Dinar is a dream acquisition for the very serious and very wealthy collector. Only around a dozen are thought to exist.

In 2019, a specimen went under the hammer at a Morton & Eden for $4.78 million ($6m/£4.5m today).

The most expensive 1913 Liberty Head Nickel to have come up for auction, this specimen once belonged to mega-collector Louis E. Eliasberg Sr.

The coin sold for $5 million ($7.7m/£5.8m today) in 2007. However, it went on to realise a comparatively disappointing $4.56 million ($5.81m/£4.4m today) at a Stack’s Bowers Galleries sale in 2018.

The 22-carat gold doubloons struck by jeweller Ephraim Brasher in 1787 are the first gold coins minted in the US. Only seven have survived. Unsurprisingly, these ultra-scarce coins are worth a very pretty penny indeed.

In 2018, a specimen was sold for more than $5 million ($6.4m/£4.8m today) through Heritage Auctions.

Bob R. Simpson put a whole bunch of super-valuable coins up for sale in 2021, including this 1804 $10 Plain Four Draped Bust Eagle. One of the rarest American coins, only four made it out of the mint.

Unlikely to get another opportunity to own one, deep-pocketed collectors bid hard at the Heritage Auctions event in 2021, and the gold Eagle ultimately sold for $5.28 million ($6.2m/£4.7m today).

The sole example of the 1870 Three-Dollar Piece is the sort of acquisition even the richest collectors can only dream of. One did get lucky in 2021 though, when the unique gold coin was auctioned off to benefit the charitable foundation of Harry W. Bass Jr.

It brought the house down, fetching $5.52 million ($6.5m/£4.9m today).

As we've mentioned, the 723 Umayyad Gold Dinar is the most prized Islamic coin and the most expensive.

In 2011, Morton & Eden sold one of the 12 surviving specimens for $6 million ($8.5m/£6.4m today), obliterating the record for an Islamic coin.

The Flowing Hair Silver Dollar was the first dollar coin issued by the US federal government. Fewer than 150 were minted, and only a handful are certified mint state. These coins are fabulously valuable.

An especially esteemed specimen that once graced the collection of Lord St Oswald sold for $6.6 million ($8.6m/£6.4m today) at a Stack Bower's auction in 2017.

The King of Chinese Coins is also the most expensive non-American coin sold at auction. Because it was a trial coin, the silver 1903 Fengtien Tael is a one-of-a-kind.

In 2022, the unique Tael went under the hammer at a Beijing ChengXuan Auctions sale for a massive $6.9 million (£5.2m).

Only two examples of the 1861 Liberty Head Double Eagle exist that feature a slightly different design by engraver Anthony C Paquet.

The finest of the two gold coins sparked a bidding frenzy when it was put up for sale via Heritage Auctions in 2021, fetching $7.2 million ($8.5m/£6.4m today).

The very first doubloon minted by Ephraim Brasher in 1787 was stamped with EB on the eagle's breast rather than the wing, the only specimen to feature this quirk.

Admired for its uniqueness, the coin was bought by a Wall Street investment company in 2011 for $7.4 million ($10.5m/£7.9m today).

The finest of the Class I 1804 Draped Bust Silver Dollars, this glorious specimen was originally gifted to the Sultan of Muscat and passed through various prominent collectors over the years, including Walter H. Childs and D. Brent Pogue.

In 2021, the coin changed hands at a Stack's Bowers Galleries sale for $7.68 million ($9.1m/£6.8m today).

The 1822 Half Eagle is another wow-factor rarity. Only three examples of this $5 gold coin are known to exist. The best specimen formed part of two landmark collections, those of Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. and D. Brent Pogue, and was last put up for auction in 2021, which was quite the year for high-end coin sales.

The Half Eagle ended up fetching an impressive $8.4 million ($9.9m/£7.4m today).

The most perfect example of the seven 1787 Brasher Doubloons has long been known in numismatic circles as the World's Most Famous Coin. The specimen caused a sensation when it was put up for sale via Heritage Auctions in 2021, with the event attracting bids from far and wide.

The highly desirable example went for $9.36 million ($11.1m/£8.3m today), becoming the world's most expensive gold coin for a time.

The finest example of the first American dollar coin, the Neil-Carter Specimen has been hailed as a US national treasure. In 2013, it broke the record for the priciest coin sold at auction, fetching $10 million ($13.7m/£10.3m today).

Then, in 2022, the silver marvel was sold to GreatCollections for $12 million (£9m).

The most expensive coin of all time is this 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. The overwhelming majority of the Double Eagles struck that year were melted down following the Great Depression gold recall, and this is the only specimen in private hands, hence its outrageous value.

Formerly owned by coin collector extraordinaire King Farouk of Egypt and luxury shoe designer Stuart Weitzman, the revered coin sold at a Sotheby's auction in 2021 for a phenomenal $18.9 million ($22.3m/£16.7m today).

Now discover the most valuable autographs in history