The Ultimate Guide to Assembling a Collection of the 100 Greatest U.S. Coins

Over the past few weeks, coin collectors have been enjoying one of the greatest reveals in numismatics, with a user on numismatic social media platform MyCollect posting daily updates of the rare coin collection he has assembled over the past five years.

Coin collectors have been enjoying one of the greatest reveals in recent times, with a user on numismatic social media platform MyCollect posting daily updates of the rare coin collection he has assembled over the past five years. This is not just any collection or set – it is based on the 100 Greatest U.S. Coins book by Jeff Garrett.

While the collector, known on MyCollect as Elite, has not posted the number of coins in his collection yet, MyCollect members are already speculating whether it will surpass that of famed past collectors such as Louis Eliasberg and Amon Carter, and even current collector D.L. Hansen, who has an impressive 69 coins from the 100 coins listed in the publication.

The book by well-known numismatist Jeff Garrett ranks the most important coins issued by the U.S. Mint since its founding in 1792, showcasing the most significant and storied coins, blending historical context, rarity and collector appeal. Aside from famous coins such as the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent and 1916-D Mercury Dime, the book also features trophy coins that are unique or semi-unique, including the 1861 Liberty Gold Paquet Reverse Double Eagle and 1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle.

“For many collectors who embark upon a collection, they acquire the more common coins first, leaving the rarities until last. Elite did the exact opposite as the initial coin added to his set was the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle. The second coin acquired was a superb example of the 1870-S Silver Dollar, one of only a dozen coins that are known today in all grades. And the list goes on. Some of the coins have not been seen in decades,” said Ian Russell, president of GreatCollections who assisted the owner in forming the Elite Collection.

There is only one 1933 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle in private hands, with the remaining coins residing in the Smithsonian Collection and the Department of the Treasury. After spirited bidding, it sold for almost $19 million in a 2021 New York auction. More recently, Pawn Stars host Rick Harrison offered $25 million for the coin in a 2024 episode of the show that has been viewed by more than one million people around the world.

In addition to the 100 Greatest U.S. Coins collection, Elite has also assembled the finest set of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles ever formed.

“Another difference with a collection of this calibre, both in rarity and accessibility is Elite’s willingness and encouragement to display these famous coins at major shows around the country, so collectors can enjoy them. We look forward to displaying the unique 1844-O $5 and $10 Proof gold coins at the upcoming ANA World’s Fair of Money in Oklahoma and other rarities at additional shows in 2025 and 2026” added Russell.

Elite can be followed on MyCollect by visiting www.mycollect.com/Elite.

MyCollect is a social media platform focused on numismatics and has a popular registry for sets of U.S. and World coins. Over 87,000 coins have been added to 23,800 registry sets, including Morgan Dollars, Lincoln Cents, Commemoratives and Varieties. Interact with your fellow collectors and dealers, read the latest industry news, manage your inventory, build sets and compete with peers. MyCollect is also the home of TheftCheck, the industry’s centralized database of stolen coins, easily searchable by certification number. For more information, visit www.mycollect.com.