ENQUIRE
ENQUIRE

Proof 1925 Shilling and the only known example held in private hands


Proof-1925-Shilling-FDC-Rev-43779-November-2021
Proof-1925-Shilling-FDC-Obv-43779-November-2021
Proof 1925 Shilling and the only known example held in private hands
COIN
Proof 1925 Shilling and the only known example held in private hands
PRICE
$19,500
STATUS
Sold June 2022
QUALITY
Superb FDC
PROVENANCE
Downies sale by Private Treaty 1993. Private Collection Melbourne
COMMENTS
We are not sure which excites us more. The coin. Or the asking price. This Proof 1925 Shilling is stunningly brilliant. It is the only known example held by a private collector. And is visually stunning. It's as though you are looking at a pool of molten silver, the obverse in particular is simply spectacular. Under the eye glass we note heavy striations on both obverse and reverse indicating that the dies have been well brushed to ensure precise design definition.
Proof-1925-Shilling-FDC-Obv-43779-November-2021
Enquire Now

This Proof 1925 Shilling was not struck for collectors as part of any mass-marketing sales campaign. It was struck for the mint's archives and the privileged few. Because it was a specially arranged striking of presentation pieces, only a handful were struck.

Technically, we refer to the coin as a 'Coin of Record'.

Australian Pre-decimal Coins that were struck as proofs - but not destined for collectors - are technically referred to as Coins of Record.

The term, COIN OF RECORD, is to a large extent self-explanatory. It is a coin that has been minted to put on record a date. Or to record a design.

What is not self-explanatory is that Coins of Record were struck to PROOF quality as presentation pieces. And were struck in the most minute numbers satisfying the requirements of the mint rather than the wants of collectors. Forget the notion of striking ten thousand proofs as collectors are accustomed to today. Let's talk about striking a total of ten coins ... or in the case of this coin a lot less!

For today’s collectors the Coins of Record offer a wonderful link to the past and are extremely rare, two reasons that make them so popular.

There was no commercial angle in the production of Coins of Record. The mints were not out to make money from the exercise. Quite the reverse, striking a proof coin in our pre-decimal era was a very labour intensive (and hence costly) exercise that would have dented the mints annual budget quite considerably. The prime reason why so few coins were struck.

In the striking of a proof coin, the mint’s intention was to create a single masterpiece, coining perfection. Perfection in the dies. Wire brushed so that they are razor sharp. Perfection in the design, highly detailed, expertly crafted. Perfection in the fields, achieved by hand selecting unblemished blanks, polished to create a mirror shine. Perfection in the edges to encase the design … exactly what a ‘picture frame does to a canvass’.

 

A proof is an artistic interpretation of a coin that was intended for circulation. A proof coin is meant to be impactful, have the ‘wow’ factor and exhibit qualities that are clearly visible to the naked eye. A proof coin was never intended to be used in every-day use, tucked away in a purse. Or popped into a pocket.

So, what happened to these Coins of Record? Where did they go? And if they were struck by the mints for their own use, how did they get into collector's hands?

In the main, Coins of Record ended up in the mint’s own archives, preserving its history for future generations. Any coins that were surplus to requirements may also have been sent to a museum or public institution.

Coins of Record were also put on display at public Exhibitions. The two known examples of the Proof 1866 Sovereign and Proof 1866 Half Sovereign were especially struck to exhibit as ‘products of New South Wales’ as part of the Colonial Mints display at the International Colonial Exhibition of 1866 and the International Exposition in Paris, 1867. They were discovered in London in the early 1970s.

It is noted that many of the overseas mints have over time sold off Coins of Record that they considered excess to their requirements allowing them to come into collector's hands. The Royal Mint South Africa sold off several Australian gold proofs in the 1990s.

It is also noted that influential collectors, and those that moved in the same circles as the Deputy Master, did occasionally receive a proof coin. Most likely in exchange for a coin of the same face value, so that the mint's 'books' would be balanced.

 

 

Enquire now

CONTACT US
COINWORKS SERVICES
MEET THE PEOPLE BEHIND COINWORKS
CONTACT

PO Box 1060 Hawksburn Victoria Australia 3142

© Copyright: Coinworks 

BE INFORMED

Discover new coins and collections added weekly.
Please provide your first name
Please provide your last name
You must provide an email address
I am not a robot is required