A coin with one of the more fascinating stories in U.S. numismatics added another layer to its legend last month.

One of five known copies of the famed 1913 Liberty Nickel sold for some $3.1 million at an auction held in late April just outside of Chicago. That puts the sale of the coin on par with other recent auction prices of U.S. rarities, including the $10 million sale of a1794 Silver Dollar and the $1.6 million auction of an 1873 Dime minted in Carson City. For the latest auction involving the 1913 Liberty Nickel, it’s not a bad take considering the coin was never intended to be cast in the first place.

As the story goes, the coin – which was minted at the Philadelphia facility in 1912, even though it bared a 1913 date was believed to have been either produced illegally by a U.S. Mint worker or for use as a test die, as it was the same year in which the government swapped out the Liberty head obverse in favor of the popular Buffalo head design. The five coins, which were first exposed to the public in 1920, were eventually split up, with one copy ending up in the hands of a coin dealer out of North Carolina, who purchased the coin for $3,750 in the 1940s and was in possession of the piece when he was killed in a car accident in 1962.

The coin, which was found at the crash scene along with hundreds of other coins scattered about, was initially identified as a fake by examiners, leading a beneficiary of the coin dealer to tuck the prized piece away in a closet for decades. It wasn’t until that woman passed when her children discovered the coin among her belongings, eventually having it verified as authentic when the “lost” fifth 1913 Liberty Nickel was reunited with the four other examples at 2003 American Numismatic Association World’s Fair.

Though the coin won’t likely go through that kind of roller coaster again now that it has been properly recognized (unless, of course, the coin comes with a curse, which could be conceivable given its history) the recent sale certainly adds to its lore. Considering the new buyer has stated he intends to hold on to the piece, don’t be surprised if a 1913 Liberty Nickel fetches big bucks if it ever comes up for auction again.

It’s that time of year again. Spring happens to be the season where a wide range of special occasions occur, and Coins of America has just the kind of gifts that coin enthusiasts need to mark the moment.

For starters, check out the Graduation Commemorative Coin for the high school senior (or even eighth-grader, or kindergartner these days, for that matter) on your shopping list to help celebrate their entre into the next stage. Make the gift even more memorable by personalizing the piece with custom engraving that lets you pass a message on to the graduate-to-be.

But commencement ceremonies aren’t the only events that make spring perhaps the busiest season of the year, as it also marks the time when celebrants of all ages are honored with various religious ceremonies.  For the children in your life, the First Communion Coin Card may be the perfect fit, as the offering comes with a bronze commemorative coin encased in an attractive two-panel holder to highlight their big day. In addition to that option, COA also has individual coins available to celebrate both Communion and Confirmation for coin-loving youngsters. Even the youngest of up-and-coming collectors can get in on the action through the Baptism Coin Card, ensuring they have a piece that memorializes a rite of passage they may be far too young to remember. Coin lovers who are ringing wedding bells this spring can also get in on the action through the Wedding Commemorative Coin, which will help the happy couple recall the big day for years to come.

While those coins will help mark special moments, Coins of America also has a bevy of other options to say congratulations through coins. Whether you know a family welcoming a new member into the mix, you can cherish the moment through coins such as the Welcome Baby Commemorative Coin or the Welcome Baby Coin Card. For children wondering what happens after their first tooth falls out, hide a copy of the Tooth Fairy Commemorative Coin under their pillow to replace the pearly white.

Even if there isn’t a commemorative coin to mark the special moment you have in mind, Coins of America also offers gift cards in denominations that range from $25 to $100 and can help the collector you know find just the gift that will fit their wish list!