Weirdest moments in the history of coin collecting

What are the weirdest "moments" in coin collecting? For example: scandals, coins worth a lot sold for pocket money and rare coins melted.

I know only one, the "Juhlarahakohu", Finland 2017:

Someone had a great idea last year, to mint this set of coins. Including a coin with a picture of an execution.

This 5€ coin set was called the "decades of independence" or something like that. Every newspaper wrote about the coin. It also later became a meme, making fun of politicians.

And there were other ideas for the coin:

That coin set was not released.

Do you know any "coin scandals"?

I've already written about how early 20th century prudes with a fear of human physiology objected to the first "type" of the 1916 US "Standing Liberty" Quarter because of an exposed breast in the depiction of Liberty, that had to be covered up with chainmail the following year (as well as a similar scandal for the 1896 $5 US "Educational Series" note that was also unpopular because of a depiction of human mammaries).

But here's another scandal, closer to our times, of American coinage; in 1946, a year after Franklin Roosevelt's death, the current US dime design, the Roosevelt dime came out; and in the atmosphere of the post-WWII "Red Scare", some people noticed the engraver's initials "JS" (John R. Sinnock) under the portrait, and the result were wild rumours flying around that a Soviet agent had infiltrated the mint and was putting "JS" (for Josef Stalin, supposedly) on US coinage.


"SOCIALISM!1!!" they cried.

The rumours got so bad that the next circulating US coin Sinnock designed, the Franklin Half Dollar (in 1948) had his middle initial with his other initials under Franklin's bust as "JRS".


"Now that's more like it!"

There was a similar "scandal" (f you can call it that) with the Kennedy Half Dollar that came out in 1964, after the assassination of its namesake US President the preceding year; and the initials of Gilroy Roberts (GR), the engraver, were claimed to be a hammer and sickle by some particularly gossipy folks with too much time on their hands (this is actually mentioned on its Numista page):


You'd think the Cold War era Soviet Union would have directed their espionage efforts into more worthwhile endeavours than putting surreptitious symbols on US coinage...

1922 for USA. They made only 1¢, $1 silver, and $20 gold coins that year. And WAY more $1 than 1¢, that year $1 is still worth basically melt value in near uncirculated condition, while the penny is quite costly.

Here is a 16th century Scottish coin scandal: This Ryal was issued shortly after the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots to Lord Darnley: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?partid=1&assetid=1339157001&objectid=895669
It was met with outrage as it appeared to depict Darnley as a superior to Mary. Firstly, it depicted Darnley alongside Mary, secondly, Henry's name appears in the legend before Marys. The coins were quickly withdrawn from production and reminted. The process was so thorough that now only a tiny handful remain. The design was replaced by this one: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces25015.html which removes the busts and gives Mary primacy over her husband.

The coin is also notable as it is the last coin struck in Scotland to bear Mary's image.

1953 monetary reform in Czechoslovakia. The government robbed all inhabitants in one day of all their savings.