World’s most expensive coin goes on show in Ballsbridge

THERE will be heavy security on show in the RDS this weekend as The Flowing Hair Coin, the first dollar ever minted in the United States, arrives in Dublin.

The Dublin Mint Office, part of the Samlerhuset Group, a European coin collection company, revealed that the most expensive coin in the world, after it sold for over US$10m at auction in 2013 to a private buyer, will be on show during an exhibition.

The coin, which is believed to have been inspected and approved by George Washington, is one of the most highly regarded coins in the coin-collecting world. 

It will be accompanied by an original copy of the Declaration of Independence, printed in Boston in July 1776, which is worth approximately US$4million.

The exhibition will be open to the general public with free admission at the Minerva Suite, between 10am – 5pm on Saturday, March 12 and from 10am-5pm on Sunday 13.

All of the first silver dollars were struck within one day, October 15, 1794. On that day a total of 1,758 silver dollars were minted. They were all struck on a hand-turned screw press at the Philadelphia Mint.

The unique quality of this 1794 dollar suggests that it was the very first to be struck, meaning that the dies that were used to strike the coin were in mint condition.

 This is the first time the coin has been exhibited in Europe, and is part of a European tour that takes in seven countries. The tour has been arranged by the Samlerhuset Group, parent company of the Dublin Mint Office.

The owner of the coin, Bruce Morelan, explained why he has lent the coin to the Dublin Mint Office for exhibition.

“I have collected coins since I was a small child,” he said.

“Collecting coins and owning items of such rarity gives me enormous pleasure.

“I always dreamt about owning this particular coin from the moment I saw its image in print. 

“I longed to own it but it was locked away in a world-class collection for many decades.

“When it finally came on the market after a few years, I figured out a way to acquire it and purchased it to be the centrepiece of my early dollar collection.

“The Flowing Hair Coin is such a special coin and has so much history attached to it.

“I am privileged to be in a position to work with the Dublin Mint Office to exhibit the coin to other collectors and coin enthusiasts.”

Mr Morelan has stated that he would be open to selling the coin, “subject to reasonable offers”.