For their book of pennies, as well as the buffalo Indian head nickels, half-dollar and dollar coins, Berman estimated the value of the collection at just under $300.

According to International Precious Metals, only 2,000 were produced, and even fewer are known to exist today—hence their hefty worth. One of these coins once fetched $6.6 million at auction, while ...

A prolific Indian coin collector - dubbed the "King ... and historians can try to interpret the past," he said. "The value of old coins increases day by day. It is because they are hard-wearing ...