What coin would you buy if someone said buy something you wouldn't normally buy?

Okay, so my better half surprised the heck out of me by saying "You know, I noticed you spent a lot more on my birthday than I did on yours, so here's $250 to spend on a coin you wouldn't normally buy". I mean what could I say? Nothing like that has ever happened before and at first I thought it might be a trick, so I said "sure" skeptically. Well, it wasn't and I've made my choice. Anyone care to guess what it was? And what would be your choice? I'll reveal what I purchased after some guesses.

 

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A gold quarter eagle.

 

That would be nice, but I didn't see any for that price.

 

Wow

 

@potty dollar 1878 Check out this auction, if you have some bucks sitting around.
Estate Sterling Silver & Gold Jewelry, Silver & Gold Coins, and pocket watch auction | May 10 | Online Auctions (auctionninja.com)

 

@potty dollar 1878 there is a potty dollar! https://www.auctionninja.com/past-to-present-ct/product/1876-s-silver-trade-dollar-8326.html

 

I don't buy them, but I think they're nice:
1943 Walking Liberty Silver Half Dollar MS66 NGC | eBay

 

$250 for something unusual? For me, it might be a classic US commemorative. $250 for any ancient coin would not be "unusual" for me.

 

We have a winner folks, good guess @medoraman. So here's it is folks, a classic commemorative or as David Hall said:
The San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge was opened to the public in November 1936 and in the same month 100,055 Bay Bridge commemorative half dollars were struck at the San Francisco Mint. Interestingly, many were sold (at $1.50) in drive-up booths at the bridge itself. It was the first (and I think only) "drive-up" commemorative! In 1937, there were 28,631 Bay Bride half dollars melted as unsold making the distributed mintage a healthy 71,424 coins.
The healthy mintage has made the Bay Bridge one of the more readily available silver commemorative issues. It is also one of the only commemoratives of the 1930s that can be found somewhat easily in circulated condition. Nonetheless, most survivors grade MS63 to MS66. The typical Bay Bridge has nice frosty luster and eye appeal is usually quite good.

 

Beautiful coin! I had one when I first started collecting and I was excited about it so I sent it out for grading. It came back as "cleaned". Oh well, lesson learned early on. I should look for a nice replacement too.

 

Yeah, I've had circulated ones, but always wanted one really nice example.

 

Great selection.
Love the classic commem’s.

 

My favorite commem!

 

I have to congratulate you on a nice choice! Since you asked, I would buy a Barber of some type. Nothing extravagant, but I don't have any Barbers so I would probably buy a really nice Barber Dime. That or a Sante Fe Trail Commemorative.

 

Good choice , I would have gone for a classic commem my self. And it looks like you picked up a very nice one with a green bean too.

 

My next choice would have probably been the Oregon Trail, Connecticut or if I could find one I really like the 1935 Old Spanish Trail, but they're expensive.

 

If it's for our two terrorists granddaughters, the sky is the limit. But if I want to spend $250.00, "why do you need to spend $250.00, what do you think, that money grows on trees." No woman, in your purse!

 

LOL yeah, it caught me off guard, I mean really, who keeps track of stuff like that besides a woman. But it was a challenge that I accepted and kept to the limit, I paid $230 for it, which I might have found a better deal if I had waited.

 

I would buy the best SLQ that I could get for $250. I probably would chip in a few more bucks to get an AU SLQ.

 

A couple of historic photos of the San Francisco - Oakland Bay bridge:

Opening day 11/12/1936:



Aftermath of the Loma Prieta earthquake 10/17/1989: