No mention of its existence was made in a 1917 article on Chinese coins, which suggests it could have been minted later. In any case, this coin has sold for more than $500,000.

Human civilization doesn’t get much more ancient than China, whose history dates back more than 5,000 years and whose global influence can be seen in everything from how people govern to what they eat ...

Below are some of the most valuable coins in the world, but they’re not all limited to museums and wealthy private collectors. A couple of these might just turn up in your couch cushions. 1.

That design was rejected by Chinese officials and nearly all of the coins were melted down. Those that survived command very high prices, with one selling for $1.99 million. More From GOBankingRates ...