Rare 1960 Israeli One-Agorot Coin Sells for Record 27,500 Dollars at Auction
A rare 1960 Israeli one-agorot experimental coin was auctioned for 27,500 USD. Featuring a unique design error from a Birmingham mint, only ten copies are known to exist.
A rare one-agorot Israeli coin minted in 1960 was recently auctioned for an astounding 27,500 USD (approximately 85,000 NIS), reaching nearly 33,700 USD with buyers fees. Sold through the Ira & Larry Goldberg auction house, this piece is one of only ten known surviving copies of an experimental design.
The history behind the coin dates back to its commissioning by the Bank of Israel in Birmingham, England. While standard versions feature ten grains on the left wheat stalk, this rare variant mistakenly features only eight grains across all three stalks. Collectors have watched its value skyrocket from around 6,000 USD two decades ago.
Experts advise not to confuse this ultra-rare prototype with other commemorative 1960 editions that feature larger lettering, which command much lower prices around 500 USD. Meanwhile, ordinary circulating agorot coins from this era are so common they are sold by weight at roughly 15 NIS per kilogram.
