The Island of Misfit Coins, all of those wonderful rarities or special specimens that I wish I could build a collection around, but even though I try and focus my collecting, these I just couldn’t resist!
Ryan’s Rarities
AD 202-205 AR Denarius Plautilla
Ch AU
My first graded ancient coin and the first I ever purchased. I would love to do a collection of Empresses or female/non-dude portraits on ancient coins. What a stunning specimen this is, the workmanship on the face, hair, and quite frankly all around staggers me! The little bit of crazy toning mostly on the obverse makes it a no-brainer to have been holdered, although I completely get the appeal of handling ancient coins with one’s own hands!
The obverse depicts the Empress Plautilla on the obverse along with her name and title, “PLAUTILLAE AUGUSTAE,” or, Empress Plautilla. The reverse shows her and the Emperor Caracalla clasping hands, spouses out of political alliance reinforced by the lettering “PROPAGOIMPERI,” or, propagate the empire. She would later be murdered by the same man whose hand she shakes on the reverse of this stunning coin.
By: Roman Empire
Certification: NGC 6826405007
Strike: 5/5
Surface: 4/5
1945 Daniel Carr Roosevelt Dime
ICG MS 69
While my collection lacks a 1964 SMS, I present in its place another issue not meant to exist, engraved by a US Mint engraver and struck just for fun on US Mint equipment, Daniel Carr’s 1945 Roosevelt Dime! Overstruck on 1946-1964 Roosevelt dimes, Carr deftly shows off his skills as an all-star engraver with the warmth and subtle life he gives the expressive visage of the President behind the March of Dimes. While not attributed, I dare say we’ve got full bands to boot!
This is my first ICG coin, and at the time of writing these words, my only. With only one coin from ICG I am at this point unprepared to comment on their accuracy and condition of coins in their holders. In this case, this is a coin struck by a private individual sold directly to a collector, not one minted industrially by a government to be circulated in change. Daniel Carr even gives along with the mintage figures those “bag-handled” and those in high-grade condition. This one was obviously the latter, and in this single instance, I agree with the grade of MS 69. I would advocate however for a Full Bands designation given it has, especially from a distance, perhaps the clearest delineation between each of any Roosevelt dime I’ve seen, but perhaps because it’s an artistic overstrike they do not issue the strike designation. Either way I’m extremely happy to have this coin in my collection, part of an already exceptionally low mintage and in such a high grade! The upper hemisphere of the reverse almost turns into a prooflike finish, an amazingly lustrous piece!
Mintage: 248
By: Moonlight Mint, Daniel Carr
Certification: ICG 5496850201
1953-S Franklin 50c
MS 66+
I am incredibly proud to have such a well-struck example of this issue in my collection. The definitive date for the series in FBL, the thing is darn close, and I find myself hoping the plus is an attestation to its supreme strike quality, like at least the graders thought it was significant enough to be worth mentioning! Though not in the name, a feature this coin has more clearly than many 53-S half dollars in FBL holders is the curl of hair in front of Franklin’s ear on the obverse, a feature equally eager to disappear from a strike as the lines on the bell! The hint of golden brown toning sits pleasantly at the edge on both sides. One day I would like to do a short set of S-mint Franklin halves in FBL to go with this stunner!
FBL: 75
10/2025
Mintage: 4,148,000
By: US Mint
Certification: NGC 6818838006
What’s up, Doc? A very strong example of a “Bugs Bunny,” a die clash on Franklin’s mouth and the eagle’s feathers on the reverse.
This coin has what I believe to be staple scratches at 6:00 on the obverse in the field between WE and TRUST, although they have been toned over. If you like, take a moment to compare these scratches against those running vertically through the eagle’s right wing on the reverse. Being able to identify scratches from damage versus raised die scratches from the minting process is an integral skill in your collecting arsenal! Another healthy lesson this coin has helped teach me is, as the toning overtop can show, they can still be loved and appreciated! Do you think another grading company might have categorized it differently?
Mintage: 4,148,000
By: US Mint
Certification: ANACS 7736611
1955 Franklin 50c FS-401 Bugs Bunny
MS 65 FBL
A fantasy strike created by Daniel Carr struck over 1958-D Lincoln cents. The obverse replicates the significant doubled die obverse (second only to the 1955) of which there are less than a handful of examples. It is worth noting that the 1958 DDO was not on a Denver mintmarked die, which was added again for fun and itself is a D over horizontal D. The reverse sports designer Victor David Brenner’s initials in the original spot centered on the bottom
Mintage: 289
By: Moonlight Mint, Daniel Carr
Certification: ANACS 7729146
1958-D Daniel Carr Lincoln 1c - DDO RPM VDB
MS 69 RED
1984 Manx 1/10 oz Gold
PR 70 DCAM
Struck for the Isle of Man by the Pobjoy mint, this stunning first-year-of-issue coin sports a stunning engraving of Archangel Michael slaying a dragon and on the reverse a portrait of a young Queen Elizabeth II.
Mintage: 20,000
Certification: NGC 3085997088
Only issued this single year in 1/15th oz size and $2 denomination, and a wee mintage to boot! I truly appreciate the 24k fractional gold pieces from the Royal Canadian Mint, they have such a fun history of sizes and designs!
Mintage: 3,540
By: Royal Canadian Mint
Certification: NGC 4496655007
1994 Canada Gold 1/15th oz $2 Gold Maple
MS 69
2014 Canada Silver 1 Oz $5 Maple Leaf - Double Horse Privy
RP 69
The key date for the Canadian Silver Maple!
It is worth noting that the frosted background is not the same as even to that of the 2014 reverse proof on the (single) horse privy issue. This one somehow feels more patterned and more digital, as can be seen in swirling lines of the matte pattern in the obverse photograph to the left of the leaf above 9999.
Mintage: 500
By: Royal Canadian Mint
Certification: NGC 8200783003
2014 UK Silver 1 Oz £2 - S-BF16 Britannia
PR 69 DCAM
Considered a if not the key date for the 1 oz silver proof Britannia series, a position claimed by right of the might of Jody Clark’s reverse design. This issue continues to command the highest premium for the whole (standard, not reverse) 1 oz silver proof Britannia series.
Mintage: 5,266
By: UK Royal Mint
Certification: PCGS 50714749
Issued in gold since 1967, the South African Mint marked the iconic gold Krugerrand’s fiftieth anniversary by releasing the 1 oz silver coin in proof, seen here, and a special mint state standard issue. Although I believe at least 2018 if not the subsequent years limited the proof mintage to 15,000, as the very first issue of the silver Krugerrand this year is considered the key date for the series.
Mintage: 15,000
By: South African Mint
Certification: NGC 4542533104
2017 South Africa Silver 1 Oz Krugerrand - 50th Anniversary Privy
PR 70 DCAM
2021 Canada Silver 1/4 Oz $5 - Arboreal Emblem 25th Anniversary
SP 69
My first ever graded coin! A quarter of an ounce of 99.99% pure silver from the RCM, this coin commemorates the anniversary of Canada’s official adoption of the maple leaf as their national emblem, though the leaf’s association with Canada extends far back! I didn’t realize it wasn’t official until so recently until I started learning about this coin, which is one of the most fun things in any hobby!
Mintage: 100,000
By: Royal Canadian Mint
Certification: NGC 6255274030
2021 Mexico Gold 1/10 Onza
MS 70
Mintage: 850
By: Casa de Moneda de México
Certification: NGC 6536507010
2022 Canada Gold 1/20th $10 - Everlasting Maple Leaf
RP 70
A scratch on the plastic of the holder seems to slice across QE2’s throat, but fear not, the coin itself is safe!
Mintage: 5,000
By: Royal Canadian Mint
Certification: NGC 6584091025
2022 Mexico Silver 1 Onza
MS 69
Mintage: 350,000
By: Casa de Moneda de México
Certification: PCGS 45912634
2023 Canada Gold 1/10th Oz $5 - Treasured Maple Leaf
MS 70
Mintage: ?
By: Royal Canadian Mint
Certification: NGC 6792570029
2023 Mexico Silver 1 Onza
MS 69
Mintage: ?
By: Casa de Moneda de México
Certification: PCGS 48058306
2023 Mexico Silver 1 Onza
PR 69 DCAM
Mintage: ?
By: Casa de Moneda de México
Certification: PCGS 49050981
2023 Mexico Silver 1 Onza
RP 69
I love reverse proof coins, and was lucky enough to indulge/covet one into my collection by being the only bidder at a non-SEOd ebay auction! Reverse proof libertads are key dates in any year, with by far the most limited mintages of the modern Mexican Libertads!
Mintage: 1,500
By: Casa de Moneda de México
Certification: NGC 2915981008
2025 South Africa Silver 1 Oz Krugerrand - Tilawa Privy
MS 69
This coin was struck by the South African mint from silver they had purchased for the task in 1942, but it would be yet a while for this to come to pass. SS Tilawa, the British ship transporting sixty tons of silver among other cargo took the treasure along with 280 lives to the bottom of the Indian Ocean after two hits from submarine I-29.
Mintage: ?
By: South African Mint
[Click the picture for closeups of the Tilawa privy!]
Certification: NGC 8405841001
S.S. Tilawa
The Tilawa was launched in 1924 as an ocean liner until it was requisitioned following the outbreak of the second world war as a troop and supply ship. As seen in this photo of the stern, the ship was fitted with light armaments, but these would do nothing against the submarine that landed two torpedoes in 1942. The ship along with hundreds of lives carried sixty tons of silver bullion sold by England to South Africa. After this treasure was salvaged by Deep Ocean Research, resulting legal claims by both aforementioned interested parties lead to a division of the silver between the two governments and the salvage company. Tilawa’s silver, which sat at the bottom of the ocean where it sunk in World War II, was struck into silver coins, rounds, and bars by, I believe, all three parties, along with some remaining as the original ~1,000 ounce bars.
Video of launching of S.S. Tilawa, 1924
Wonderful video on the ship itself
