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There are two words that we have used to describe this Holey Dollar and they are the words 'simply fabulous'. 'Fabulous' because the coin has great eye appeal. It is a Holey Dollar that you will show your family and friends with considerable pride and pleasure. We have included the word ‘simply’, because there are no complications with this coin. What you see is what you get … a fabulous example of the nation’s very first coin struck in 1813 under the direction of Governor Lachlan Macquarie. This Holey Dollar first came to our attention in April 2004, when it sold at Noble Numismatics Auction Sydney for $115,000 on a pre-sale estimate of $90,000. Collectors contemplating this coin should be aware that Holey Dollars priced between $100,000 and $200,000 have been noticeably absent from the market place. The last time we offered a Charles IV Holey Dollar in this price range was more than six years ago, in September 2016. The technical shots provided re-affirm our glowing assessment of the coin.

When you look at the photo of this Dump, it almost leaps off the page. And that’s a sign of a high-quality Dump. Then, when you look at the coin in your hand, the design details are crisp and clearly visible to the naked eye. The fields are smooth and reflective and have toned to a beautiful charcoal grey. This is a supreme quality example of the nation’s first coin, ranked in the top EIGHT per cent. Over and above its quality ranking this coin has attributes that are highly prized and the reason why we refer to it as a 'textbook' Dump. They are traits that you simply don't see in every Dump. For a start there is the 'H’ for Henshall on the reverse, the mark left by the nation’s first mint master guaranteeing his fame. There also is evidence of the original Spanish Dollar design from which it was created. Intact edge milling, the minting authority's ploy to prevent clipping of slivers of silver from the edges. And edge denticles that act as a picture-frame to the design. There is additional information below that expands on our introductory comments as well as technical shots that re-affirm the superior state of this 1813 Dump.

This Holey Dollar was created from a Spanish Silver Dollar that was minted in 1808 at the Lima Mint in Peru. The two words ‘LIMA MINT’ are particularly important when it comes to Holey Dollars. Of the two hundred Holey Dollars held by private collectors, perhaps twenty have ties to the Lima Mint which is why we say that while all Holey Dollars are rare, some types are far rarer than others. We note that in a career that is approaching the half-century mark, this is only the FIFTH Holey Dollar we have offered that has ties to the Lima Mint. At Good Extremely Fine, this coin is the very finest Lima Mint Holey Dollar available to collectors. Its superior quality and aesthetic appeal was the very reason why it was included in two major Holey Dollar Exhibitions. At the Macquarie Bank, 1 Martin Place Sydney in 2013. And at the Royal Australian Mint, Denison Street Canberra in 2019.

A Trans-Tasman connection was alive and kicking when New Zealander, Henry George Williams, financed the striking of a small number of Proof Pennies in 1935 at the Melbourne Mint. In so doing, Williams unwittingly created an Australian 'numismatic star'. The term 'numismatic star' falls well short in describing this particular Proof 1935 Penny. It is a NUMISMATIC SUPER-STAR for the coin has glass-like surfaces and original copper brilliance on both reverse and obverse. Heavy striations reflect zealous preparation of the dies resulting in a superb strike. This coin was sold to the vendor in 2002. It is Melbourne Mint proof coining at its best and offers quality that is seldom seen. A collector will wait decades to acquire proofs of this calibre.

Australians just love their coppers ... the Penny and the Halfpenny. They are the coins that were within financial reach of the 'man in the street'. Whereas the sovereign was the domain of the privileged few, a copper coin could be enjoyed by everyone. And in top quality or struck to glorious proof quality, the coin became a numismatic treasure. We have put together a treasure trove of six coins for you to enjoy, four stunning proof coins struck at the Melbourne Mint. And two elite coins that were struck as circulating currency, also at the Melbourne Mint. By virtue of their quality and rarity, each coin is at the pinnacle of its type.

A coin can be rare because so few examples were struck. A coin can also be rare because it has quality traits that make it the absolute exception to the norm, placing it into an elite and very small group of examples. This Proof 1948 Penny is rare on both counts! The original mintage is believed to be sixteen with most of the examples going to public institutions and therefore out of reach of collectors. And the quality is stunning. So that you can appreciate the rarity of a coin at this quality level, we make the comment that we have sold only one other Proof 1948 Penny that we would describe as stunning. And that was acquired by us in 1998 and sold more recently in 2017. We make a further comment. When we wrote our article on the Perth Mint Proof Record pieces we came to realise just how few truly fabulous Perth proofs are around. It is an ominous sign from a supply perspective. It may also be a sign that prices are set to rise. (Technical shots are provided)

This Proof 1936 Halfpenny was struck as a Coin of Record at the Melbourne Mint. It is dramatic. And it is impressive. Furthermore it is extremely rare. The coin first came to our attention in August 2001, when it was offered at Noble's Auction, Melbourne. The auction house acknowledged its superb state by classifying it as FDC and setting a sale price estimate of $6000, considered a strong price at the time. Bidders at the auction were in agreement with Noble's assessment of the coin. Solid bidding took the final price to $7015, seventeen per cent over the anticipated sale price. This coin in the flesh reflects the light like a piece of glass and radiates stunning colours. The edges are well polished. Whoever brushed the dies to prepare them for the strike did so with gusto, for there are strong striations on both sides of the coin indicating that the dies were carefully prepared to ensure a crisp and strongly three-dimensional design. One of only five known, this stunning, yet affordable Melbourne Mint proof striking is available now.

This is a magnificent Proof 1956 Penny struck at the Perth Mint and the quality is what we have come to expect from Dr. Vince Verheyen. The colour is vivid and intense, the surfaces impactful. The designs of the flying kangaroo and Queen Elizabeth II are beautifully etched. Furthermore, the coin shows the classic high squared-off rims that the Perth Mint was, at the time, renowned for. The Proof 1956 Penny is one of the greatest rarities to come out of the Perth Mint, struck in a very tight mintage of 417 coins. That makes it extremely rare. Dr. Vince Verheyen is one of the most revered Australian proof coin collectors and an authority on proof coinage. This is unequivocally, one of the best Perth Mint Proof 1956 Pennies around.

This Proof 1917 Sixpence is a heritage piece. It is a clue to our past and is an acknowledgment of the evolution of the Australian numismatic industry. In 1916, the Melbourne Mint commenced striking Australia's silver coinage. Consumed with striking coins for circulation, the Melbourne Mint did not strike any proofs. The Mint continued its obligations to Treasury in striking circulating currency in 1917 but took up the mantle of striking proofs. Which means that this stunningly rare Proof 1917 Sixpence is the Melbourne Mint's very first proof striking of the nation’s silver coinage. It is a Coin of Record in the truest sense and is one of two known in private hands. Testimony to its importance, an example is held for posterity in the archives of the Museum of Victoria. You can tell by looking at this coin that it was minted as a presentation piece. The original silver blanks have been polished to achieve a dazzling mirror shine. And there is strong striations in the fields indicating that the dies were heavily brushed and well prepared to achieve a brilliant strike. We note that it was once held in 'The Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins'.

We are going to let the photographs do most of ''the talking" on this impressive ‘Diamond and Pearl’ 1930 Penny. Suffice to say that at Good Extremely Fine, this 1930 Penny has a complete central diamond and eight clear pearls. And it is the presence of the eight pearls in the crown that makes this coin particularly special, identifying it as a leading 1930 Penny and an exception to those most commonly sighted. Of the one thousand-plus 1930 Pennies in existence today, we rate this coin as Number 3 in the pecking order. (Technical shots are provided.)

The 1855 Sydney Mint Sovereign is an important Australian coin. It is our very first sovereign struck at the nation's very first mint. And it is extremely rare in the supreme quality offered here which makes this coin 'doubly' important. Dealers are aware. As are collectors. Uncirculated 1855 Sydney Mint Sovereigns are rarely ever offered. We checked our records and noted that we last sold an Uncirculated 1855 Sovereign in May 2017, more than four years ago. TECHNICAL SHOTS are provided and re-affirm the superb state of this coin.

This Proof 1936 Penny was struck as a Coin of Record at the Melbourne Mint. And while eighty-five years have elapsed since the coin was minted, it retains its copper brilliance on both reverse and obverse having been brilliantly preserved. The fields are like copper-glass, the edges are well polished. Whoever brushed the dies to prepare them for the strike did so with gusto, for there are strong striations on both sides of the coin indicating that the dies were carefully prepared to ensure a crisp and strongly three-dimensional design. We close off with the comment that Coinworks has, over the last two years, sold some magnificent copper proofs all of which have come back from clients that have held them for close to two decades. And that stock has been steadily diminishing. This coin is quite possibly one of the last of the George V copper proofs to come from our 'original' inventory. It is an ominous sign from a supply perspective. It may also be a sign that prices are set to rise.

The Proof 1923 Penny is an acknowledged ‘great’ Australian coin rarity. It is unique. And to add further to its fame, the year is connected with Australia’s rarest halfpenny in the 1923 Halfpenny. The Proof 1923 Penny was struck as a Coin of Record at the Melbourne Mint and is a glorious proof striking, the fields as smooth and as reflective as glass. Under magnification, striations are noted on both obverse and reverse. There is underlying copper brilliance on the reverse and also on the obverse. The design is strongly three-dimensional, the denticles crisp and uniformly spaced, the edges highly polished. This stunning Proof 1923 Penny appeared at auction in July 1998, the coin selling for $9900, more than triple its pre-auction estimate. While the quality was enough to gain bidder attention, it was the rarity that drove the price for up until July 1998, a Proof 1923 Penny had never been sighted. And to this day it is the only Proof 1923 Penny known in private hands.

The Kookaburra Square Pennies were struck in 1919, 1920 and 1921 at the Melbourne Mint. Only two designs were tested in 1921 and they are known as the Type 11 and the Type 12. In our view, the Type 11 is the one to own. While both are scarce, the Type 11 is the rarer of the two (by far). And visually, it is extremely attractive, the surfaces proof-like and compelling, perhaps due to the appointment of passionate collector, Albert Le Souef, to the role of Deputy Master of the Melbourne Mint. Of course, how a coin starts at the mint - and how it ends up one hundred years later having passed through several collector's hands - can be poles apart. When you look at this Square Penny you can see that it has been cherished by its former owners for it has been brilliantly preserved. Technical shots are provided and they confirm its stunning qualities.

The Kookaburra Pennies were struck in 1919, 1920 and 1921. If you are fortunate enough to be offered all three dates, then you should pounce on the coin dated 1920, simply because of its extreme rarity. That scarcity has underpinned considerable capital growth. This 1920 Kookaburra Square Penny has what we call the Type 7 design. In the early 70s, you could pick up a Type 7 for less than $1000. By the 80s prices had moved to $5000 and doubled to $10,000 by the 90s. In 2000 we note we sold a Type 7 Kookaburra Penny for $20,000. Today more than twenty years later, this 1920 Kookaburra Square Penny is offered at $65,000. That is a consistent and enviable growth path for one of Australia's leading coin rarities.

This Proof 1924 Sixpence was struck as a Coin of Record at the Melbourne Mint during the tenure of Mr A M Le Souef as the mint’s Deputy Master. It is a superb Gem FDC. The Melbourne Mint reached its pinnacle during Le Souef’s term, particularly in the striking of its silver proofs, perhaps a reflection of his personal passion for silver coinage. This Proof 1924 Sixpence 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. The original silver blanks were hand selected and polished to achieve a dazzling mirror shine. Furthermore, the coin has strong striations in the fields indicating that the dies were heavily brushed and well prepared to achieve a brilliant strike. This Proof 1924 Sixpence is well preserved and has obviously been cherished in the intervening years. We note that it was formerly held in 'The Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins'.

We have handled some spectacular copper proofs in our time, but this coin is quite possibly the absolute finest of them all. The reverse of this Proof 1921 Penny is simply sensational with full copper brilliance, crisp and uniformly spaced denticles, the rims highly polished. And that's not to decry the obverse for it also has full mint red. It is easy to overlook the fact that this coin was struck one hundred years ago to the year. It is a miraculous proof striking. The coin appeared at auction in August 1999. Described as brilliant with full original mint red, it sold for $11,800, the pre-auction estimate was $6000. While the quality was exceptional, it was the rarity that drove the price for up until August 1999, a Proof 1921 Penny had never been sighted. And to this day it is the only Proof 1921 Penny known in private hands.

The Sir Marcus Clark 1860 Aborigine Threepence is unequivocally an Australian Numismatic Treasure. It became an overnight sensation when the piece first publicly appeared at James Lawson’s Auctions in 1954, the property of Sir Marcus Clarke KBE. The earliest numismatic depiction of an Aboriginal Australian and offered in a superb mint-state, the piece sold for the massive price of £38. For the 50-plus years that I have been involved in the industry, it has always been known as “The Sir Marcus Clark Aborigine Threepence”. It is an industry icon and of the seven other known examples, this piece is the absolute finest of them all.

There are some coins that stay firmly fixed in your memory. Coins that are exciting for the extraordinary quality traits they possess. And this 1930 Penny is one of them, last sighted by us in 2003 when we sold it to a Shepparton collector. Yes, the coin has circulated which reflects our obverse grading of About Very Fine. BUT the years of usage have treated it very, very kindly. It is an original, intact, well struck 1930 Penny with glossy fields and minimal signs of usage. If there is one thing that the past eighteen years has taught us is that you do not see 1930 Pennies like this every day. Or every month. Or every year for that matter!

The Perth Mint has struck many of Australia's greatest coin rarities including this fabulous 1918 Half Sovereign. The coin is offered in the premium grade of Choice Uncirculated and it is the addition of the word ‘CHOICE’ that makes this coin the absolute exception, a step up from Uncirculated and poles apart from those 1918 Half Sovereigns most frequently sighted. The coin has lustrous obverse fields and majestic satin reverse fields. The strike is strong, the design highly detailed. We remark on the strength in the rider’s leg …. an inherent area of weakness in most 1918 Half Sovereigns. We also remark that this is only the fourth Choice Uncirculated 1918 Half Sovereign we have sold. This is a great coin offered at a great price of $18,000.

The Perth Mint has struck many of Australia's greatest pre-decimal coin rarities, including this 1918 Half Sovereign. It is an important coin on many fronts. Australia struck its last half sovereign in 1918, making it a highly historical date. The end of an era. And it is extremely rare. Respected numismatic author, Greg McDonald, contends that only 200 to 300 pieces are available to collectors. Important. Extremely rare. And available at $12,500. Excellent buying.

There was an explosion in real estate prices in Melbourne in 1889. And land speculation on a grand scale. Melbourne was booming. So too were the coining presses at the Melbourne Mint, records indicating that the mint churned out 2.7 million sovereigns. To create a permanent and everlasting record of its achievements, the Melbourne Mint struck the Proof 1889 Sovereign as a Coin of Record. True to form, only two examples have been sighted over the past sixty years, this coin last publicly offered in March 1988 at the now famous Bicentennial Spink Auction. Noted as being brilliant and flawless, the coin sold for $9000 on a pre-auction estimate of $6000. Only one other example has surfaced over the last century and that was in March 1985, a pattern of long-term holding so typical of this area of the market.

A 'Diamond and Pearl' 1930 Penny is for the buyer that is seeking one of the best examples of the nation's favourite copper coin. The obverse is impressive and shows a full central diamond and the smudging of the seventh and eighth pearls and its their presence that places this 1930 Penny in the 'extremely rare' category. The reverse is equally impressive with well-defined inner beading, crisp upper and lower scrolls and a strong '1930' date. On both obverse and reverse, the toning is even and handsome. The fields show minimal signs of circulation and are smooth. We rank this coin in the top five per cent with the comment that a 1930 Penny of this calibre might be offered once every two to three years. Already have a 1930 Penny? Then consider trading it back as part-payment on this stunning coin. Technical photos of both obverse and reverse are provided below and confirm our assessment of the coin.

Following the closure of the Sydney Mint in 1926, the responsibility for striking Australia's circulating currency fell on the Melbourne Mint. In 1928 the Melbourne Mint was at full capacity striking every denomination of Australia’s coinage, the copper penny and halfpenny and the four silver coins of the florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence. If you include the sovereigns that were struck in 1928, the Melbourne Mint churned out more than 16 million coins! To create an everlasting record of their minting achievements, the Melbourne struck each denomination as a Coin of Record, the coins struck to proof quality. This coin is one such COIN OF RECORD and is a PROOF 1928 FLORIN. Three are known, this example noted as selling at Nobles Auction in 2001 for $23,000 on a pre-auction estimate of $19,500. The coin was eventually sold to the Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins where it has remained ever since.

This Proof Half Sovereign was struck at the Melbourne Mint in 1893 and is exceedingly rare. Only two other examples have surfaced over the last century. At its first and only auction appearance in 2005, the coin sold for $56,000 on a pre-auction estimate of $30,000. Testimony to the scarcity of coins in this sector of the market, another proof half sovereign of this date and design has not surfaced since.

We first sighted this spectacular Proof 1952 Halfpenny in 2009. The coin was part of a large collection of rarities that had been put together in the 1980s by a leading Melbourne proof coin collector. His collection was consistently brilliant for he was driven by quality and had a keen eye for detail. While we are not at liberty to identify the owner, we can say that he was an expert on Australia’s proof coinage and the author of many articles on the same. This coin follows the rule that great collectors only ever own great coins.

This 1813 Dump comes with impeccable credentials. The coin set a new world record in 2004 when it was offered at Stacks Auction, New York. The coin was at the time the personal property of influential American dealer, John J. Ford. What makes a coin a record-breaker? The answer is simple. When the design has been so well executed during the minting process that the coin is the exception rather than the rule. And when its state of preservation verges on the miraculous. John J Ford's 1813 Dump has quality traits that are unique to this coin. The strike is exceptionally strong. And its state of preservation is miraculous.

This 1930 Penny is very impressive. It is a classy coin. The edges are complete and the important design details such as the upper and lower scrolls, the inner beading that circles the value of ‘ONE PENNY’, the legend and the date ‘1930’ are all prominent. And the toning is a consistent and handsome chestnut brown. Take up a magnifying glass and you notice that the fields on both obverse and reverse show minimal signs of circulation. And while the quality should be enough to gain buyer attention, the gifting of Australia's rarest halfpenny, the 1923 Halfpenny, makes this 1930 Penny irresistible buying. Technical shots are provided below.

A coin can be rare because so few examples were struck. A coin can also be rare because it has quality traits that make it the absolute exception to the norm, placing it into an elite and very small group of examples. This Proof 1953 Penny is rare on both counts! The original mintage is believed to be twenty with most of the examples going to public institutions and therefore out of reach of collectors. And the quality is spectacular. So that you can appreciate the rarity of a coin at this dazzling quality level, we make the comment that we have sold only one other Proof 1953 Penny that we would describe as spectacular. And that was nine years ago to a Melbourne collector.

This 1813 Dump is a very rare example of the nation’s first fifteen pence. Struck from a die combination that historians refer to as obverse die ‘E’ and reverse die ‘3’, less than twenty examples are known. Historians suggest that due to the crude nature of the E/3 Dumps, they may have been trials presented to Governor Lachlan Macquarie before production officially commenced. We note the traces of the original Spanish Dollar design (undertype) on the reverse. This is the only E/3 example that we have seen or handled to show the undertype.

The 1930 Penny that is in this collection is a star in its own right. The coin is very impressive. The edges are complete and the important design details such as the upper and lower scrolls, the inner beading that circles the value of ‘ONE PENNY’, the legend and the date ‘1930’ are all prominent. And the toning is a consistent and a handsome chestnut brown. Take up a magnifying glass and you notice that the fields on both obverse and reverse show minimal signs of circulation. And while the quality of this 1930 Penny should be enough to gain buyer attention, its inclusion in a complete collection of Australian pennies (1911 to 1964) makes this offer irresistible buying. Technical shots are provided below.

The collecting pursuits of legendary numismatist and author Philip Spalding extended well beyond the nation's colonial coins. Spalding was a long-term owner of Australia's proof coinage: a collection that included this spectacular Melbourne Mint, Proof 1924 Penny. He appreciated the magnificence of proof coins. And with full copper brilliance on the reverse and stunning purple / blue colours on the obverse this Proof 1924 Penny is indeed a magnificent proof. Spalding also relished the exclusivity of Australia's proof coins. And with only three other known examples, this Proof 1924 Penny had the exclusivity that Spalding was seeking. And Philip Spalding's Proof 1924 Penny is available now.

This 1813 Dump is an inordinately rare example of the nation’s first fifteen pence. Struck from a die combination that historians refer to as obverse die ‘C’ and reverse die ‘4’, eight examples are known. Historians suggest that due to the crude nature of the C/4 Dumps, they may have been trials presented to Governor Lachlan Macquarie before production officially commenced. Over and above the rarity of the C/4 Dumps, the quality of this coin is superior. It is one of the finest of the C/4s.

This 1930 Penny has a full central diamond and six plump pearls and it is these two aspects, the diamond and the pearls, that classifies this coin as one of the very best, in the top ten per cent. This coin will appeal to the buyer that has always wanted a 1930 Penny and has been looking for a top-grade example. It will also appeal to the investor for high quality 1930 Pennies, such as this coin, are extremely rare. We estimate that we would handle one, or at the very tops two, Very Fine 1930 Pennies annually.

This Proof 1899 Sovereign was struck at the Melbourne Mint as a presentation piece. The coin made its first public appearance in 1903 when it was sold by Sotheby's London as part of the famous John G. Murdoch Collection. Over the last century only one other example has been sighted. The coin's extreme rarity is typical of this sector of the market and the very reason why they are so popular with collectors. And investors. Their scarcity simply gives people the reason to buy. And this glorious turn-of-the-century Proof 1899 Sovereign is available now.

Nine times out of ten, when people approach us about selling their collection of pennies, the holding is missing the elusive 1930 Penny. That was not the case with this collector. A retired pharmacist, his interest in numismatics commenced in his late teens when he began working in his father’s chemist shop. When the time came to take over the family business, he had the financial capacity to fill the last hole in his collection and acquire the very valuable and iconic 1930 Penny. This offer is comprised of a complete collection of Australian pennies 1911 to 1964 housed in a Dansco Album (78 coins).

A coin can be rare because, so few were struck. For today's collectors, this Proof 1952 Penny is extremely rare. The original mintage is believed to be fifteen with most of the examples going to public institutions and so out of reach of collectors. But a coin can also be rare because its quality makes it the exception to the norm effectively putting it into a class all on its own. This Proof 1952 Penny is rare on both counts! Its mintage was tiny and it is one of the very best Perth Mint Proof coppers out of this era. Remember the Proof 1947 Penny we sold a few months ago. A superb FDC, it came out of Nobles March 1996 Auction, the same auction as this Proof 1952 Penny. And it has been held in the one collection ever since.

The Kookaburra Square Penny was planned as a new Australian coinage, a new shape, a new design and the new metal of cupro-nickel. The coins that were produced as part of this test phase were handed to dignitaries and politicians to assess their reaction. But, this particular Square Penny was never going to be passed around or handed over. It was especially struck as a collector’s item in STERLING SILVER for the personal collection of Mr. Albert Malet Le Souef, Deputy Master of the Melbourne Mint. It is unique. This coin is a numismatic prize, a trophy piece. A Square Penny depicting the Type 4 design, struck in Sterling Silver.

Ray Jewell was a foremost Australian collector and a highly respected professional, his involvement in the industry spanning more than three decades. He set the bar very high when it came to collecting proofs. A coin that was owned by Ray Jewell had to be rare and had to be top quality, traits that were duly acknowledged by the broader collector market whenever his coins came up at public auction. This Proof 1928 Shilling was a crowd-pleaser and a record breaker all along the way, selling in July 1993 for $11,000 on an estimate of $4000. And in the year 2000 selling for $22,540 on a pre-auction estimate of $15,000. In 2003, this numismatic gem was sold to the owner of the Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins where it has remained ever since.

There is an expectation that Coinworks will always be able to provide a high-quality rare coin 'at the drop of a hat' ... that we will always have access to top quality material. While it is true for most of Australia's classic coin rarities, in the case of the nation's first half sovereign - the 1855 Sydney Mint Half Sovereign - that is a formidable, almost impossible ask. There are perhaps forty examples of the 1855 Sydney Mint Half Sovereign available to collectors which is in itself a tiny number. And of those, we deem that only three coins are problem-free and have great eye appeal and, interestingly, they have all come from noted collections. This coin is one of the three, ranked as number two in the pecking order. This is a momentous offering.