'Holy Grail of All Dollars' Could Fetch $10M at Auction

The first-ever silver dollar minted by the United States is going up for auction—but if you want to get your hands on it, you'll probably need at least 10 million younger dollars. The "Flowing Hair" 1794 dollar, which has Lady Liberty on one side and an eagle on the other, was the world's most valuable rare coin when Las Vegas collector Bruce Morelan bought it for $10 million in 2013 and it is expected to fetch the same price or more in the October auction, USA Today reports. "This coin is the Holy Grail of all dollars," says Laura Sperber, president of Legend Numismatic.

The coin is believed to be the first of 1,758 silver dollars the Philadelphia Mint delivered in Oct. 1794, of which around 130 have survived to the present day, the AP reports. "You have to wonder who was there and who handled it," Sperber says. "If we could test its DNA, it would be incredible." Matthew Bell, CEO of Legend Auctions, says that because of its significance, the "national numismatic treasure" was probably seen by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton, among others. Morelan says owning the coin was a "lifelong dream"—but since he enjoys building sets, and his early US silver dollar set is now complete, he has "decided it’s time for other collectors to enjoy these magnificent coins." (More coins stories.)