Known as the Sheldon 1793 NC-1 chain cent, it is the most expensive penny in the world.  The chain links represent the original 15 states.

Designed and minted by Henry Voight, chain cents were the first regularly minted coins in US circulation.

Less than 2,000 exist, in several varieties.  The rarest of the rare is the NC-1 of which only four are known to exist.

Value: $275,000

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Honus Wagner

The Honus Wagner baseball card (T260 above) is the world’s most expensive.  Known as the “Holy Grail” or Mona Lisa of baseball cards, one in mint condition recently broke a record at auction.  It is extremely rare.  Only about 50 or so are said to exist.  The reason for the rarity:  Honus Wagner (1874-1955) objected to the card produced by a tobacco company, either because he was a non-smoker or did not get paid.  He took them to court and won. The company was ordered to destroy the cards.  They apparently got most of them.  The ones that got away will pay you more than Honus got in his entire life.

Cost: $2.8 million

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