Current Inventory of the 1813 Dump

Macquarie had high hopes for the Holey Dollar and Dump, and in particular the Dump. He stated that the Dump would fill the role of small change and would remove much of the need for promissory notes of low denominations.

The industry acknowledges that there are about one thousand surviving examples of the 1813 Dump, with eight hundred available to collectors, the balance held in museums and public institutions.

Within that collector pool, the Dump appears in four distinctly different die combinations or styles. The four combinations have been classified by respected collector and author Bill Mira as the type A/1, D/2, E/3 and C/4, the letter referring to the obverse die, the numeral representing the reverse die.

Of the 800 surviving Dumps in collector's hands, 20 per cent were struck using the D/2 dies.

The A/1 die combination appears in 75 per cent of surviving Dumps, producing a coin that was well centred and framed by edge denticles.

The E/3 and C/4 dies produced coins that were very crude and esoteric and tend to be enjoyed by collectors seeking to acquire one of each style. There is a suggestion that they may have been test pieces presented to Governor Macquarie before production began. Or the work of another engraver that was discarded due to the poor result. 

Coin: 1813 Dump struck from the rare D/2 dies

Price: $75,000

Quality/comments: Extremely Fine, beautifully toned, highly reflective surfaces, pristine design detail.

Coin: 1813 Dump, struck with the Type A/1 dies 

Price: $30,000

Quality/comments: Very Fine, there is very clear evidence of the original Spanish Dollar design on its obverse.

Coin: 1813 Dump struck with the type A/1 dies

Price: $20,000

Quality/comments:  Good Fine, the toning is stunning, pale blue and gun metal grey and the fields are glossy and highly reflective.