rare coin
2
5.8
- noun
- /rɛr kɔɪn/
:
moneda rara
- At the auction, collectors eagerly bid for the rare coin that had been in circulation for over a century.
- rare coin dealer
You just got to make sure when people are buying silver now, you don't buy any rare coins, collectible coins.
- You just got to make sure when people are buying silver now, you don't buy any rare coins, collectible coins.
Examples
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A mother lode of rare coins, totally uncirculated, like they just came out of the mint.
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At this point, the rare coin market is as close to a monopoly as it has ever been, and I attribute this to Heritage making many very smart decisions in the last fifteen years and their competition conveniently making many dumb decisions.
Blog text (33) -
I planned to go shopping for rare coins.
Blog text (34) -
This is an extremely rare coin.
Academic text (1995) -
You know, precious metals, rare coins, some old stamps, stuff like that.
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But Dignan, do you really know that much about rare coins?
Fiction book (1996) -
This display will contain rare coins that are seldom seen in public.
Blog text (3) -
The prices paid for rare coins at auction fluctuate with supply, demand, trends in the market, and the interests of individual buyers.
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It's a supply/demand idea all rare-coin collectors know.
Blog text (22) -
While some people have been extremely fortunate to find old and rare coins in pocket change, buried underground, or as part of a family estate, most people have to buy the old and rare coins they want for their collections.
Blog text (9)
Synonyms
31
6.2
Something that is not common and happens only sometimes
22
4.1
A thing people collect because it is interesting or valuable, like cards
11
5.4
An object that people want to keep because it is rare and valuable
7
8.4
An unusual small object people collect because it is interesting, often from trips or old shops
How Old
- Specialized
1
4.7
- Archaic
1
9.9
- Specialized
1
7.4
2
5.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a coin that is uncommon and usually valuable to collectors' is directly derivable from combining 'rare' (infrequent/scarce) with 'coin' (metal currency). This adjective+noun composition is a straightforward, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the phrase.
Etymology
Rare coin comes from the simple picture of a coin that is rare, maybe made in small numbers or with a mistake so very few exist. That's why a rare coin means an 'uncommon' and often 'valuable' coin that collectors want.