Fabled $3 Million Nickel Returns "Home" to Milwaukee The free, public World's Fair of Money in Milwaukee, Aug. 8 - 12, 2007, will feature the return of a 1913 Liberty Head nickel and a U.S. Treasury Dept. $1 billion display that includes $100,000 bills
News-Antique.com - Jul 31,2007 - (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) -- A legendary multi-million dollar rare nickel that a Milwaukee collector frequently kept in his pocket to show to strangers returns "home" for the first time in 40 years for a free public exhibit. The coin is a 1913 Liberty Head nickel, one of only five known and made under mysterious circumstances at the United States Mint in Philadelphia.
Valued today at $3 million, the rare nickel will be one of dozens of eye-opening exhibits -- including a $1 billion U.S. Treasury Department display -- during the American Numismatic Association’s World's Fair of Money® in the Midwest Airlines Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave., August 8 - 12. The five-day educational, family event is free and open to the public.
The colorful $1 billion Bureau of Engraving and Printing display features two dozen $100,000 bills, the highest denomination paper money ever made by the U.S. government. Visitors to the World's Fair of Money also will see a once-in-a-lifetime exhibit of over 1,500 pieces of historic Wisconsin paper money dating back to Territorial days; the world's largest gold coin produced by the Royal Canadian Mint that weighs 100 kilograms (over 220 pounds!); Civil War-era sunken treasure recovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration from the SS Republic that sank in 1865; and rare U.S. coins from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
Many of the 1,100 professional coin and currency dealers attending the show will provide free, informal appraisals for visitors who bring in their old coins and paper money.
"The 1913 Liberty Head nickel was owned by convivial Milwaukee collector and dealer, J.V. 'Mac' McDermott, who purchased it for $900 in 1943. He frequently carried it in his pocket and would proudly show the world’s most valuable nickel to surprised strangers," explained Christopher Cipoletti, Executive Director of the nonprofit, 32,000-member American Numismatic Association.
"McDermott passed away in 1966. His widow, Betts, sold the nickel for $46,000 at an auction in 1967. Today it's part of our association’s museum collection and insured for $3 million. This is a homecoming because it’s the first time it’s been back in Milwaukee in 40 years, and the public can see it in person."
Well-known Iola, Wisconsin collector, Chet Krause, will display more than 1,500 vintage Wisconsin bank notes from his extensive collection. It will be the largest pubic exhibit ever assembled of seldom-seen paper money that traces the Badger State's history back to 1836.
"Our theme is, 'Collecting Coins Captures Time: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.' There'll be thousands of collectors and dealers from around the country buying and selling items ranging from a few cents each to $1 million. There'll be educational seminars, exhibits and a children’s treasure hunt trivia game with free prizes. You can see everything from a half-cent to a $100,000 bill, and it’s free," said Clifford Mishler of Iola, Wisconsin, convention general chairman.
Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas, Texas will conduct a major auction of coins and currency in conjunction with the show.
