Casascius coins have attained
significant numismatic value. Like many
sought-after historic coins, Casascius
coins stand-out for many reasons. Their
rarity and physical beauty, plus the
fact that they pioneered the concept of
physical bitcoins make them great
collectors' items. Furthermore, their
history is intimately tied to the rise
of bitcoin in general, from inception as
simply a proof-of-concept and
conversation piece, to eventual
termination due to regulatory overreach.
It is ultimately history and connections
to the past that drive desirability of
collectables in general, and no other
physical object ties more closely to
bitcoin.
It's also noteworthy that some of the
early coins saw significant circulation
and tarnish relatively easily. Many of
the early coins, as well as
higher-denomination coins, were also
redeemed (hologram removed to access the
underlying digital bitcoin value),
further reducing supply.
Casascius physical bitcoins will always
be a symbolic representation of
bitcoin's early history, and a beautiful
way to tie the next evolution in
currency with humanity's physical
numismatic past.
