Well-Known Coin Collectors
Some Fellow Coin Collectors
Congressman Frank Lucas
Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas is building a type collection of coins produced by the U.S. Mint. He co-sponsored the bill that created the American Buffalo Commemorative Silver Dollar in 2001. He told Roll Call in 2011, "When it comes to quality, mechanical manufacture and the artistic images that are embodied on our coins, we need to work very diligently to leave an impressive historic record…it's not just coins to put in the parking meter down on the corner. You are leaving a record of your civilization."
NBA basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar not only collects coins, but he also served on the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee as its first African-American member from 2017-2018.
Canadian ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky, considered the greatest player in the National Hockey League's history, is another sports legend who collects coins.
Reality TV personality and co-host of the popular home renovation show Property Brothers, Drew Scott periodically mentions his interest in numismatics.
Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers (Hakan Dahlstrom)
James Earl Jones
In 1995, the American Numismatics Association and Professional Numismatists Guild released an educational film. Narrated by Grammy and Tony Award-winning actor (and voice of Darth Vader™ in the Stars Wars™ trilogy), long-time coin collector James Earl Jones said, "Each piece of money has a story to tell: the people, places and events portrayed on it, those who made it, the way it was made, and why it was made. Money: it's history you can hold in your hands!"
Oscar-winning actor Nicole Kidman reportedly has an eye for ancient coins, while comedic actor Lily Tomlin donated hers to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
Comedic actor and musician Jack Black talked about his collection of risqué coins featuring Lady Liberty to late-night talk-show host Conan O'Brien in 2017. Some Fellow Coin Collectors! Congressman Frank Lucas Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers James Earl Jones Håkan Dahlström
Modern Cameo Appearances
In the 2022 film A Man Called Otto, a 1964 quarter represents the moment the title character found love and why he carried it with him every day. In 1964, quarters were struck in 90% silver for the last time.
In the long-running television crime drama, NCIS, the team investigated the death of a retired Navy officer who left a rare, valuable and possibly stolen 1870-S Seated Liberty. The script cast the silver dollar as a rare 13th coin, but in reality, only nine are known to exist. A prop coin was used in the filming of this 2020 episode.
1870-S Seated Liberty Dollar
In HGTV's 2018 season of Maine Cabin Masters, lead carpenter Chase Morrill discovered a small bag of silver dollars left hidden in a former military barracks-turned-camp wall by his grandmother in the episode titled The Morrill Family Bunkhouse.
In the last 2008 episode of the long-running hit animated cartoon series, The Simpsons,™ Bart took up coin collecting. Homer's son had all the Lincoln cents but a rare 1917 Inverted Double-struck "Kissing Lincoln," also dubbed "the Smooching Cent." The fake coin was the result of a striking error that caused two Lincoln profiles to be facing one another.
Peace Dollar
