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Looking for unusual coins to collect?
I’ve compiled a list of some of the coolest rare coins in the world.
Each one takes a different approach to design, material, or presentation.
Here are seven unusual issues worth a closer look.
7 of the Coolest Rare Coins in the World:
1. The Easter Island Statue Coin (Easter Island)
This 10-dollar issue dates to 2007 and was released by the Cook Islands.
Its design is dedicated to a moai statue from Easter Island, a Chilean territory.
Its standout feature is the three-dimensional design.
The gold-plated statue can rise from the flat surface and stand above the coin.
2. The Cannabis Coin (West African Republic of Benin)
Specialist listings describe this as a 2010 100-CFA silver-plated issue from Benin.
The cannabis-leaf design is the feature that makes this issue stand out.
Specialist descriptions say the cannabis leaf releases an aroma when rubbed, although the exact rubbing instructions vary across listings.
Treat the aroma as a product detail to verify against the coin and its certificate.
Listings give the issue a mintage of 2,500 pieces; confirm the denomination and certificate before buying.
3. The Mammoth Tooth Coin (Ivory Coast)
This Ivory Coast issue dates to 2010 and has a denomination of 1,000 CFA francs.
It depicts Mammuthus africanavus, an extinct mammoth species.
Catalog descriptions identify an inlaid piece of fossilized mammoth ivory, so verify the material documentation for the individual coin.
4. The Concord Coins (Tristan da Cunha)
Tristan da Cunha issued this 5-pound coin in 2009 to mark 40 years since Concorde’s first test flight.
The issue presents the event as a commemorative milestone in aviation history.
The reverse shows Concorde and lists basic specifications.
Catalog descriptions also note a small piece of Concorde’s titanium-alloy heat shield inlaid in the coin.
5. The Scent of Paradise Coins (Palau)
Palau’s Scent of Paradise series uses fragrance as part of the coin design.
The series includes 2009 and 2010 silver coins, each with a face value of 5 dollars.
Listings give each issue a mintage of 2,500 and describe a fragrance released by rubbing the relevant design, including coconut and sea-breeze themes.
The Dinosaur Coins (Canada)
In 2012, the Royal Canadian Mint issued this Canadian coin with a face value of 25 cents and a mintage of 25,000.
Its special feature is a glow-in-the-dark interpretation of Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai.
The Royal Canadian Mint describes it as the first photo-luminescent issue in its four-coin Prehistoric Creature series.
The Unique Shape Coins (Somalia)
Somalia issued several novelty designs that move well beyond the usual flat, round format.
The 2008 geometric issues are silver-plated, cupro-nickel $1 pieces with sculptural forms.
Their shape is the point: they are designed as three-dimensional objects rather than flat discs.
The catalogued forms include a pyramid, cube, orb, cylinder, and cone, and the pieces bear the Coat of Arms of Somalia.
Mintage World reports that the set was reissued in 2014.
Other Somali novelty issues used bright colours and shapes that made them look more like objects than conventional coins.
A separate 2007 issue used copper-nickel, silver-plated $1 pieces shaped like Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
A 2004 Somali set used guitar-shaped $1 coins.
Catalog entries describe six coins in the guitar series, with designs based on recognizable electric guitars.
One last point
These are seven examples from a much larger world of unusual coin designs. If one catches your eye, verify its denomination, mintage, materials, and documentation before you buy.
Check out my next article: “How To Learn More About Rare Coins?“
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Fact-checked and refreshed on 2026-09-21. This article is part of GrandCollector’s editorial freshness program.