1813 Holey Dollar

The pride and joy of owning the nation’s first coin, the 1813 Holey Dollar, is indefinable and for many Australians it is their ultimate goal. The coin is extremely rare with less than 200 available to private collectors. Given its scarcity, and its significance to the nation, it also is highly valued, hence our opening remarks on the limited availability of Holey Dollars priced below $75,000.

More than 80,000 convicts were transported to the penal colony of New South Wales over an eighteen year period. One of the most famous of them all was William Henshall, the emancipated convict charged with the responsibility of creating our very first coins.

When William Henshall created this coin he picked a 1799 Spanish Silver Dollar that had been struck at the Mexico Mint. Using crude equipment, he cut a hole in it. He then continued the minting process by over-stamping the inner circular edge of the hole with the words New South Wales, the date 1813 and the value of five shillings. It was at this very point that the holed silver dollar became the now famous Holey Dollar.

Yes this Holey Dollar has circulated but the design details of the original Spanish Silver Dollar are evident. And the coin is undamaged. The over stamping of the date 1813 and News South Wales is particularly strong and graded very highly at Very Fine.

Of particular significance, the date 1799. The silver dollar from which this Holey Dollar was created was minted at the turn of the century, in 1799. Holey Dollars struck from silver dollars minted pre-1800 are far scarcer than those created from silver dollars minted post-1800. 

This coin will make owning a Holey Dollar a reality for one buyer. It is affordable. Conservatively priced, the coin offers excellent buying value.

The rarity and significance of the Holey Dollar touches all of its owners. We speak from experience. We have seen it first hand with our clients, the sheer excitement of acquiring a Holey Dollar. You can hear it in their voice. You can see it in their face.

Clients have also expressed their profound pleasure at discovering their coin photographed and featured in the major reference on known surviving Holey Dollars, ‘Holey Dollars of News South Wales, a Pictorial Record of Known Surviving Specimens’.

You can have both with this coin. The joy and pride of owning the nation’s very first coin. And the pleasure of seeing it featured on page 37 in the major reference of known surviving Holey Dollars. (A copy of this book accompanies the coin.)