Fascinating Facts

Weekly Trivia: The gold 1933 Double Eagle is considered the rarest and most valuable coin in US and world history, becoming the world’s most valuable coin by selling for a whopping $18.9 million in 2021. next...

Weekly Trivia: In 2013, Chris Reynolds from Pennsylvania opened his PayPal account to find a shocking balance: $92 quadrillion (approx. £69 quadrillion in 2025) - the richest man on Earth, by accident. The glitch was quickly fixed, and PayPal issued a light hearted apology. next...

Weekly Trivia: The term “quid” for pound is believed to come from the Latin phrase “quid pro quo” meaning “something for something.” Others believe it originated from Irish Gaelic. next...

Weekly Trivia: Sailors have a tradition of placing coins under the keel block of new ships for good luck, dating back to Roman times. next...

Weekly Trivia: The bison featured on the US Buffalo nickel was named Black Diamond, and he lived at the Central Park Zoo, not the Bronx Zoo as sometimes mistakenly stated. next...

Weekly Trivia: The first coins were made of electrum, a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver, in Lydia (modern-day Turkey) around 600 BCE. next...

Weekly Trivia: In 2011, a 50p coin was released with an explanation of the offside rule in football. next...

Weekly Trivia: Coin collecting, or numismatics, dates back to ancient times and was once known as the “Hobby of Kings.” This is due to its exclusivity among the wealthy nobility before the Industrial Revolution made it more accessible to the general public. next...

Weekly Trivia: Abraham Lincoln was the first real person and American president to appear on a regular-issue American coin in 1909. next...

Weekly Trivia: In 2008, some 20p coins were mistakenly minted without a date, making them valuable to collectors. next...