2016-09-17 Sat

Two rare 1-cent coins were recently auctioned at the Heritage auction in Anaheim, California for a grand total of nearly $870,000.

A 1792 silver centre cent was sold for $352,500 and a 1792 Birch cent, one of only 10 in existence, fetched an impressive $517,000.

Experts state that the coin’s rarity, condition and historical significance are what make them so expensive. The silver centre cent is among the first coins that were ever minted by U.S.

The coin was missing for several years after it was discovered again at an English Pub in the 1960s. The owner of the coin then auctioned it only in 1997.

The Birch cent has been auctioned seven times before this latest auction. The coins bear the inscription “Liberty parent of science & industry".

The auction was held at the World's Fair of Money 2016.