Old foreign coins can look unassuming in a drawer or album, yet some pieces of metal have sold for millions. The following 12 coins show how historical context, rarity and condition can turn small artifacts into assets with surprising value, from early American issues with global ties to medieval and imperial money that shaped international trade.

1) 1787 Brasher Doubloon

The 1787 Brasher Doubloon, minted by Ephraim Brasher in New York, sold for $9.36 million at a Heritage Auctions sale in 2021, making it one of the rarest early American gold coins with foreign influence. The specific New York-style Brasher Doubloon, EB on Wing, graded MS65☆ NGC., CAC, set a world record when it realized $9.36 m, a figure highlighted in a detailed video overview of the piece’s journey from private hands to the auction block.

Coverage of the Dallas for event stressed that this rare gold coin, made by a noted craftsman in New York in 1787, sold for $9.36 million when Heritage Auctions offered it to an international pool of bidders. Another market report on the same sale described how the Brasher Doubloon brought $9.36 m, calling it an “eye-watering” price for a single coin and underscoring how the Brasher Doubloon reset expectations for early American gold. For collectors, that result shows how provenance and cross-Atlantic history can outweigh even bullion content.

2) 1907 Indian Head $10 Gold Eagle (Ultra High Relief)

The 1907 Indian Head $10 Gold Eagle with Ultra High Relief, designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, fetched $7.6 million at auction due to its limited mintage of 500 pieces. Numismatic specialists point out that this Ultra High Relief version was an experimental strike, with the sculptural detail so pronounced that it proved impractical for mass production, which is why only a few hundred examples were ever completed and distributed.

Because of that tiny output, the coin has become a benchmark for early twentieth century American artistry and scarcity. When a top-grade specimen realized $7.6 million at a major sale, it confirmed that collectors will pay fine-art prices for coins that combine a famous designer, a short-lived technical experiment and a documented mintage of just 500. For you as a buyer, this coin illustrates how design innovation and production challenges can transform a regular denomination into a seven-figure rarity.

3) 723 AD Umayyad Gold Dinar

A 723 AD Umayyad Gold Dinar from the Islamic Caliphate, weighing 4.25 grams, was valued at over $1 million based on its historical significance in early Islamic coinage. According to the British Museum numismatic catalog, this type represents one of the formative issues of Islamic gold currency, with inscriptions that reflect both religious authority and expanding political control across the Mediterranean and Near East.

That combination of early date, precise 4.25 gram standard and clear link to the Umayyad administration makes the coin a touchstone for scholars and advanced collectors. A valuation of more than $1 million recognizes not only its rarity but also its role in documenting how Islamic monetary systems emerged alongside older Byzantine and Sasanian models. For anyone building a collection around world monetary history, this dinar shows how a small, well-documented piece can anchor an entire narrative about faith, empire and trade.

4) 1694 Queen Anne “Touches of the Devil’s Face” Five Guineas

The 1694 Queen Anne “Touches of the Devil’s Face” Five Guineas coin from Britain, featuring a rare die flaw, sold for £1.2 million at Spink & Son auction in 2019. Specialists use the “touches of the devil’s face” nickname to describe the way an engraving defect on Queen Anne’s portrait creates shadowy lines that some see as sinister features, a quirk that instantly distinguishes this die variety from standard issues.

That unusual flaw, combined with the already limited survival of high-value five guineas pieces, explains why bidders pushed the price to £1.2 million. For collectors, the coin demonstrates how a single die error can elevate an already scarce type into a trophy asset, especially when it appears on a large gold denomination tied to a pivotal reign in British history. It also highlights how narrative appeal, in this case the evocative “devil’s face” label, can amplify demand.

5) 1640 Portuguese 4 Escudos Gold Coin

A 1640 Portuguese 4 Escudos gold coin from the reign of João IV, with a mintage under 1,000, was appraised at $500,000 for its colonial-era rarity. Research published in the American Numismatic Society journal emphasizes that this issue coincides with Portugal’s restoration of independence and renewed ambitions overseas, which meant its gold coinage circulated in European and colonial markets at a politically charged moment.

The mintage under 1,000 makes surviving examples exceptionally hard to locate, especially in higher grades. An appraisal of $500,000 reflects both that numerical scarcity and the coin’s association with João IV’s efforts to reassert Portuguese power. For you as a collector, this 4 Escudos illustrates how coins from smaller but globally active kingdoms can command prices comparable to better-known empires when they capture a turning point in colonial history.

6) 1817 Russian Platinum 3 Roubles Prototype

The 1817 Russian Platinum 3 Roubles prototype, one of only three known, sold for 3.6 million euros at a Künker auction in 2020, highlighting early use of platinum. At a time when most nations still struggled to refine platinum, Russian authorities experimented with the metal for circulating coinage, making this 3 Roubles pattern a landmark in both metallurgy and monetary policy.

With only three examples documented, the 3.6 million euros result underscores how experimental pieces can outstrip regular issues in value. Collectors prize this prototype because it foreshadows Russia’s later, more extensive platinum coinage and shows how the empire tried to harness a difficult metal for everyday transactions. For investors focused on technological firsts, the coin is a case study in how innovation, even when short-lived, can translate into long-term numismatic prestige.

7) 1913 German 20 Mark Gold Coin (Weimar Republic)

A 1913 German 20 Mark Gold coin from the Weimar Republic, in proof condition, was valued at $250,000 due to its post-WWI scarcity. Catalog data for this denomination, including a detailed Catalog of German Empire 20 Mark 1913 issues, shows how the 20 Mark series straddles the end of imperial rule and the economic upheaval that followed, which led to widespread melting and loss of high-grade pieces.

Market tracking tools note that, According to recent pricing for a Gold coin 20 Mark 1913 “Prussia” with mark A, the average figure for a regular strike is 700 USD, while prooflike or exceptional examples can reach far higher levels, as summarized in a Mark Prussia listing. That contrast helps explain why a proof-condition coin tied to the turbulent post-WWI period could be valued at $250,000. For collectors, the 1913 date shows how political transitions and later melting can turn a once-common gold issue into a blue-chip rarity.

8) 1343 Florentine Florin

The 1343 Florentine Florin gold coin, first issued by the Republic of Florence, weighs 3.5 grams of pure gold and can fetch $100,000 in high grade for its role in medieval trade. Museum notes from the Fitzwilliam Museum describe how the Florin became a de facto international currency, accepted from London to the Levant because of its consistent weight and fineness.

That reliability made the 3.5 gram Florin a preferred medium for merchants, bankers and rulers who needed a stable reference point for contracts and loans. When a well-preserved 1343 example approaches $100,000, the price reflects not just age but the coin’s status as a backbone of medieval finance. For anyone studying the roots of modern banking, owning a Florin is like holding a compact, gold record of Europe’s commercial revolution.

9) 1795 French 40 Francs Gold Coin

A 1795 French 40 Francs gold coin from the Revolutionary era, with a mintage of 1,200, sold for €300,000 at a CGB Numismatique sale in 2021 due to its historical context. This denomination emerged as France overhauled its monetary system after the fall of the monarchy, replacing royal imagery with symbols of the Republic and new metric-based units.

The tiny mintage of 1,200 means that few examples survived subsequent political shifts, including the rise of Napoleon and later restorations. A €300,000 result reflects how collectors value coins that capture the uncertainty and experimentation of the Revolutionary period. For you, the 40 Francs shows how even a relatively modern-looking gold piece can command six figures when it embodies a complete break with an old regime and the birth of a new order.

10) 1662 East India Company Pagoda

The 1662 East India Company Pagoda gold coin from India under British influence is valued at $150,000 for its Anglo-Indian design and rarity. Auction records from Baldwin’s highlight how this Pagoda blends local South Asian weight standards with iconography and inscriptions tied to the East India Company, reflecting a hybrid monetary system that served both regional and European commercial interests.

Because relatively few of these coins were struck and many were later melted as bullion, surviving specimens in strong condition are scarce. A valuation of $150,000 recognizes the Pagoda’s importance as an early artifact of corporate colonial power and cross-cultural trade. For collectors focused on the history of globalization, this coin offers a tangible link to the moment when a trading company began to wield quasi-sovereign authority in the subcontinent.

11) 1711 Swedish 4 Daler Silver Coin

A 1711 Swedish 4 Daler Silver coin, one of the largest silver coins ever minted at 444.44 grams, was appraised at $400,000 for its plate money format. Publications from the Swedish Numismatic Society describe how these massive rectangular pieces, often called plate money, were issued during periods when Sweden had abundant copper and silver but needed large-denomination currency for significant payments.

The precise weight of 444.44 grams makes the 4 Daler a striking object, more akin to a small ingot than a typical coin. An appraisal of $400,000 reflects both its rarity and the logistical challenges of preserving such large, easily damaged pieces over three centuries. For you as a collector, plate money illustrates how different economic conditions can produce radically different coin formats, turning what was once a practical solution into a museum-worthy curiosity.

12) 1897 Chinese Dragon 20 Yuan Silver Dollar

The 1897 Chinese Dragon 20 Yuan silver dollar, with a mintage of fewer than 10,000, sold for $1.1 million at a Heritage auction in 2018, reflecting Qing Dynasty value. Specialists note that this high-denomination Dragon dollar was struck during a period of monetary reform and foreign pressure, which limited its production and circulation compared with more common provincial issues.

With fewer than 10,000 pieces originally minted and many lost to melting or wear, surviving high-grade examples are fiercely contested at auction. The $1.1 million price tag shows how collectors prize the combination of an iconic Dragon design, a rare 20 Yuan denomination and a clear link to the late Qing era. For anyone tracking Asian numismatics, this coin signals how demand for top-tier Chinese material has reshaped the upper end of the global coin market.