Existing comment:
One of a Kind
The United States 1933 Double Eagle Gold Coin and the "Inverted Jenny" 1918 Postage Stamp
Displayed here are two objects of exceptional rarity in the fields of numismatics and philately: the 1933 Double Eagle Gold Coin and the "Inverted Jenny" 1918 Postage Stamp. Both owe their extraordinary value to historical flukes. In 1933, a half-million of the $20 coins were minted, just as the payout of gold was legally banned. All but a handful of the coins were melted down. The rest were never circulated. On display is the only 1933 Double Eagle that is legally owned by an individual. Similarly, only one sheet of 100 "Inverted Jenny" 24-cent stamps -- featuring the image of an upside-down biplane -- was mistakenly sold to an astute collector on the day of their issue in 1918. Commemorating the first official airmail flight, the stamps gained immediate notice for the printing error that created them. Separated and sold, the rare stamps became the target of both collectors and thieves. The fascinating backstories of these examples of the Double Eagle and the Inverted Jenny further enhance their distinctiveness for collectors and museumgoers alike. |