1813 Dump struck with the type A/1 dies, offered with a Spanish Silver Dollar

The Holey Dollar and Dump are the nation's very first coins, both pieces cut from a Spanish Silver Dollar. The man charged with the responsibility of creating our coinage was William Henshall, a convicted forger.

Henshall began the coining process by punching a hole into a Spanish Silver Dollar. The central disc that fell out of the hole was over stamped with a value of fifteen pence, the date 1813, a crown and the issuing authority of New South Wales. And was known as the Dump.

There are many aspects to this Dump that make it a 'must' to consider.

1. A coin to enjoy and show around.

Struck with the A/1 dies, the crown is classically well-centred. The design details are three dimensional  ... and by this we are referring to the crown with its fleur-de-lis and pearls, the legend New South Wales, the date 1813 and on the reverse, the value Fifteen Pence.

2. Henshall's claim to fame - the elusive 'H'

William Henshall declared his involvement in the creation of the Dump by inserting an 'H' into some (but not all) of the dies used during its striking. Its presence is highly prized. As you would expect with a coin that is well circulated, the H has lost its definition but there are vestiges of Henshalls defining mark between the 'FIFTEEN' and the 'PENCE' on the reverse.

3. Oblique milling

Notice the oblique milling around the edge. It is fully evident. (The edge milling was used as deterrent against clipping whereby the unscrupulous shaved off slivers of silver, reducing the silver content of the Dump. And making a small profit on the side.)

5. And the pièce de résistance ... evidence of the original Spanish Dollar design, an aspect that really counts.

While the Holey Dollar clearly shows that it is one coin struck from another, in a less obvious way so too can the Dump. The design detail of the original Spanish Dollar from which this Dump was created is evident on the reverse above the word 'FIFTEEN' and below the word 'PENCE'.

We refer to it as the under-type and it is not always present. Its existence re-affirms the origins of the Dump and is highly prized.

A Spanish Silver Dollar, the coin from which Australia's first currency was created will be gifted with this 1813 Dump. (See photo below)