The dealer stated that a private collector acquired for more than $30 million a collection of extremely rare U.S. prototype coins that were never issued for circulation, some of them dating back to 1700s.

The whole collection includes around 1000 coins, which collectors refer to as pattern coins. These coins represent trial design that was never launched into circulation due to the fact that the U.S. Mint picked other designs.

"This collection is an incredible collection. ... These were some of the first coins ever, ever struck by the United States government," outlined Laura Sperber, who works as a partner in Legend Numismatics of Lincroft, N.J., which was the deal's broker.

Both the buyer and seller have chosen to remain anonymous, however, the buyer agreed to be known under the name "Mr. Simpson, a Western states collector," said Laura Sperber. "Both the buyer and the seller are very competitive people. And they're very successful in their careers, and they both love the romance and collectability of coins," she added.

All coins are dated from 1792 to 1942. Among the 1000 coins there are test designs developed for the first pennies, which were issued in 1792, and 6 coins dated 1872. The latter are often referred to as "Amazonian" patterns due to the fact that the female figure showing liberty is much stronger that the earlier variants.

Sperber mentioned that the seller needed 10 years to assemble the collection. It was very hard because very few were created and they all were in the Mint's possession as rejects.

"To accumulate as many patterns as there are in this collection, that's incredible," said the Curator of the American Numismatic Association Money Museum in Colorado Springs, Colo., Douglas A. Mudd.

Independent experts proved the authenticity of the collection, Sperber said.

Before the face of Abraham Lincoln was placed on penny in 1909, the leaders were not allowed to be illustrated on the coins, because it resembled the kings being displayed on European coins.

"To put an individual on coinage was considered very unrepublican because the people have the power in a republic," outlined Mudd.

"They're historical. They're beautiful works of art," mentioned Sperber. "They're just plain neat."