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The One Pound was the nation’s first gold coin struck in 1852 at Adelaide's Government Assay Office, twelve months after gold was discovered in Victoria. Two distinct One Pound types are available to buyers, the Type I from the first production run or the Type II from the second run. The first production run of Adelaide Pounds utilised a reverse die that had a beaded inner-circle as part of its design. Its usage was brief. The die cracked. And was replaced with a new die that had a completely different design, a style that was maintained for the entire second run. Because it was brief, coins from the first production run are extremely rare. Second production run coins are scarce, but nowhere near the exclusivity of those from the first production run. This Type I Adelaide Pound is a prized piece with four key characteristics that make it ripe for investment. Supreme quality. Extreme rarity. The ultimate historical standing of being the nation's first gold coin produced in the very first production run. And a conservative price. The technical shots below confirm the glorious state of this coin.

The origins of striking proof coins for collectors of Australia’s circulating currency rests with this 1934 Proof Set. It is the very first commercially produced set of Australian proof coins and was issued at the Melbourne Mint. It is an integral part of one of the nation’s most historic collector series, the ‘Numismatic Influencers’ of 1916 to 1953. This particular 1934 Proof Set was acquired in 1996 and has been wonderfully preserved. The silvers are magnificent. The copper penny and halfpenny equally so. This is the fourth only complete and original set that we have sold in a career that spans fifty-plus years. And this is one of the very best that we have handled.

Some numismatic giants were created during the seventeen-year Young Head era of 1871 to 1887. Two sovereign reverse designs were used concurrently, the St George and the Dragon and the Shield. As no conventions were set as to the mintages other than an overall total, it was inevitable that one design would be favoured over the other. And that a low mintage super-star would emerge. And it has in the form of this coin, the Melbourne Mint’s 1883 Sovereign struck with the Shield reverse and the Young Head portrait. A personal notation of a 'Brilliant Coin' was detailed against this 1883 Sovereign when it appeared in the Quartermaster Auction Catalogue. The comment captured the essence of the coin. Offered as Lot 65, the 1883M was acknowledged as a 'rare date' and 'extremely rare' in the quality offered of Brilliant Uncirculated. In hindsight, it is what we have come to expect of a sovereign that was formerly owned by Robert Jaggard, Paul Terry and Tom Hadley, three of Australia's greatest gold coin collectors. You might sight a handful of circulated examples on the market annually. One as exceptional as this coin, perhaps once or twice in a decade. The technical shots (shown below) confirm the glorious state of this coin.

Throughout history, extraordinary events have impacted on a nation’s currency. Triggering ad hoc measures to supplement a medium of exchange. Affecting mintages or inspiring new designs. The events create an environment that spawns numismatic superstars. The Hannibal Head Holey Dollar is one such numismatic super-star. Called the ‘Hannibal Head' due to an act of political intrigue, the coin is legendary and only TWO Hannibal Head Holey Dollars are held by private collectors. And if you are wondering why this Holey Dollar is named but most others aren’t. Consider that the world's most famous diamond is named, the Hope Diamond. And Australia’s most famous nugget is called the Welcome Stranger. These icons are named so they can connect easily with the public, providing them with a lasting familiarity for generations to come. And so it is with Australia's leading Holey Dollars. They also are named. There is the Pillar Holey Dollar, a unique coin. The Madrid Holey Dollar, also for collectors unique. And the Hannibal Head Holey Dollar with two examples available to collectors. These four Holey Dollars resonate with collectors, their names ensuring a familiarity for generations to come. Highly prestigious, excruciatingly rare, we are truly honoured to be offering the celebrated Hannibal Head Holey Dollar.

The Museum of Victoria joined with Spink Australia in July 1988 to create a gala coin auction as part of Australia's Bicentenary celebrations. The museum auctioned off some of its duplicates, coins of national significance such as the 1920 Star Florin and 1920 Star Shilling. And pieces that had never been seen before nor available to collectors, occasions when the entire mintage was placed in archives with none passed to officials or members of the public. Coins such as the 1902 Sydney Mint Two Pounds, struck in the last day of operation of the Sydney Mint. The 1946 cupro--nickel florin shown below. And this coin, Australia’s rarest Penny, the 1945 Penny. Now let's be clear. And don't get excited if you happen to have a 1945 Penny in your bottom drawer! More than ten million pennies were struck in 1945 at the Perth Mint making it one of Australia's most readily available pennies, a dot after the 'Y' in 'PENNY' or a dot after the 'A' in AUSTRALIA identifying that it was struck at Perth. The Melbourne Mint, on the other hand, struck only FOUR pennies in 1945 - minus the dot. The four prized coins were retained by the mint for posterity. And this example is one of the four. In a market that values rarity - and quality - above all else, this coin takes the prize for it is the nation's rarest penny. A superb FDC, with full brilliance on both obverse and reverse, this magnificent piece of Australian numismatic history is available now.

When you look at the photo of this 1813 Dump, it almost leaps off the page! That's the sign of a Dump worth owning. Its strong physical presence is due to the fact that the coin has edge denticles all the way round (which many don't have). Adding to its appeal, the design is beautifully centred, the details crisp and clearly visible to the naked eye. We note the 'H’ for Henshall on the reverse, the mark left by the nation’s first mint master guaranteeing his fame. There is traces of the original Spanish Dollar design from which it was created (the castle) above the word FIFTEEN on the reverse. And there is intact edge milling, the minting authority's ploy to prevent clipping of slivers of silver from the edges. We also note that the eight reales used to create this Dump received a bit of harsh treatment before William got his hands on it. The surfaces marks are original and do not detract in any way from the overall aesthetics of this fabulous 1813 Colonial Dump.

This is an extraordinary 1930 Penny and we note that it’s been two years since we last offered one of this calibre. The coin is elegant. The coin has finesse and it is for the collector that has been sitting back waiting for the ‘right’ 1930 Penny to come along. It is an exciting 1930 Penny, for the exceptional quality traits it possesses. The reverse is graded Very Fine, the coin having crisp upper and lower scrolls and well-defined inner beading. Yes, the coin has circulated which is reflected in 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 fifty years in the business has taught us is that you do not see 1930 Pennies like this every day. Or every month. Or every year for that matter!

As the only mint in operation in 1871, the Sydney Mint takes all the glory for issuing a new portrait design of Queen Victoria on Australia's sovereigns. Not just a new portrait, the Deputy Master of the mint was given a choice of two reverse designs, that of St George and the Dragon and the second option, that of the Shield. Both to run concurrently. It was inevitable that one design would be favoured over the other and that a low mintage super-star would emerge. And it has, in the form of this coin, the 1871 Sovereign featuring the St George and the Dragon reverse. This coin was one of the few Imperial sovereigns photographed in the Spink Auctions Catalogue in March 1981. Even though the photograph was in black and white, the elegance and refinement and smooth nature of the fields are obvious. Extremely rare across all quality levels and this example from the Spink Auctions March 1981 sale, one of the very finest with proof like satin-smooth fields. We note a provenance that includes three of the greatest gold coin collectors of our time ... Robert Jaggard, Paul Terry and Tom Hadley of Quartermaster fame. This is perhaps the greatest affirmation of its standing. (Technical shots are provided below and confirm the coin's glorious state.)

This Proof 1952 Penny is spectacular. Molten copper and a full brilliant mint red. Strong design details, pristine denticles, polished edges. This is the consummate proof coin. And it is extremely rare. The coin was especially struck at the Perth Mint as a collector's item in a minuscule mintage of fifteen, the majority of which were gifted to museums and overseas monetary institutions. Very few were retained by the Perth Mint ... the reason for its scarcity in today's marketplace. This stunning Perth Mint Proof 1952 Penny is a showpiece of quality. And is available now.

<p>This is a ‘generational wealth’ opportunity. An 1894 Proof Sovereign and an 1894 Proof Half Sovereign, the only Melbourne Mint Gold Proof Pair that we have ever offered in fifty-plus years of trading. We have sold a handful of individual proof sovereigns out of this era. And even less proof half sovereigns. But never had the opportunity to offer the sovereign and half sovereign together as a pair. And that’s a powerful statement given that this is one area of the rare coin market that is our strength. The coins come with an illustrious history, the Proof Sovereign first publicly sighted at auction in 1903 in the sale of the John G Murdoch Collection. The Proof Half Sovereign, also owned by Murdoch and offered at the same auction in 1903. Gem frosted proofs struck as Presentation Pieces at the Melbourne Mint, brilliantly preserved, they are flawless. Extremely rare as individual proofs. And unique as a pair.</p>

The ‘miracle of numismatics’. We often use this term when the state in which a coin is found defies the odds. It is more often than not applied to examples found in uncirculated condition but it is equally appropriate for this well circulated 1852 Adelaide Pound. What is remarkable about this Adelaide Pound is that, despite its obvious usage, it has not sustained any damage. There are none of the gouges and knocks you would normally see in a well circulated gold coin. It's also pretty obvious from its state that the coin was originally well struck for the legend is strong and legible, particularly in the ASSAY OFFICE area which is notoriously weak in those Pounds struck using the second die. This is a much-loved example of the nation’s first gold coin available at a very affordable price. Check out the technical shots ... it's a great coin.

The Perth Mint has struck many of Australia's greatest 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 critical and highly historical date. The end of an era. And it is extremely rare. Respected numismatic author, Greg McDonald, contends that 200 to 300 pieces only are available to collectors. (Our last recorded sale of an Uncirculated 1918 Perth Half Sovereign was more than two years ago.) Important. Extremely rare. And available at $14,000. Excellent value. The technical shots confirm this coin's superb state.

This Proof 1916 Halfpenny is everything a proof coin should be. Of the utmost rarity, we believe it is unique. It certainly is the only Proof 1916 Halfpenny we have ever handled or sighted. And the quality is glorious. The fields are as smooth as glass. And highly reflective, emanating intense emerald, pink and blue colours. Strong striations on both obverse and reverse reflect solid die preparation resulting in a superb strike. In fact, we would go one step further and say that this Proof 1916 Halfpenny is visually, the most impactful proof halfpenny we have ever sold.

Rare coins are a storage of wealth. And rare coins are a joy to own. The owner of the ‘Nullica’ hoard held those views. A farmer, he bought his first 1930 Penny in the early 1990s and was so thrilled with his first purchase, he repeated the exercise many times over eventually acquiring seven 1930 Pennies, two of which were passed to his children. He was perceptive recognising that the 1930 Penny, as an Aussie icon, would at the very least retain its value. And given its popularity and limited numbers would more than likely increase in value. He was correct on all counts! Click the 'Learn More' button for individual photographs and price information.

Crazy economic times might be completely forgotten if it were not for the numismatic super-stars that emerged from these zany eras. And 1946 was a crazy year, escalating silver prices creating a financial nightmare for the Australian Government, still issuing currency in sterling silver. And this 1946 Florin is a numismatic super-star. An experimental strike minted in an alternative metal of cupro nickel and the only example available to collectors. Can a mint go broke striking currency? Well, the Sydney Mint certainly did and was closed in 1926. The Melbourne Mint was under extreme pressure to experiment with new alloys for the nation’s silver coinage and produced four florins using cupro nickel as an alternative metal. The work was considered so sensitive that none were passed to officials or members of the public, all were archived. Collectors first became aware of the existence of a 'cupro nickel' 1946 Pattern Florin in March 1980 in an article published in the Australian Coin Review. Collectors got a chance to get their hands on one in 1988 when this coin was released by the Museum of Victoria and offered at Spink Australia’s Gala Bicentenary Auction. Of great historical significance and of the utmost rarity, this Pattern 1946 Florin is available now.

This Proof 1880 Half Sovereign was struck as a Presentation Piece at the Sydney Mint and features the Young Head obverse portrait of Queen Victoria and the Shield reverse. The coin is one of two known. Its extreme rarity is typical of this area of the market (proof gold) and the very reason why the coins are so popular with collectors and investors. The scarcity of the coin itself, that there are only two known, simply gives people the confidence to buy. And the notion that another proof example, with the same Young Head design and a different date, might pop up tomorrow is almost non-existent for the entire Young Head sector (1871 to 1887) is represented by about eight proof coins. (See below for more information on their extreme scarcity.) Compelling quality, extraordinarily rare, highly important and available now.

In an industry that values extreme rarity, the title "Australia's Rarest Commonwealth Coin" is impressive and it commands attention. And the title belongs to this coin, the 1919 Pattern Shilling. Whereas most Australian circulating coins were struck in the millions, only three shillings were struck in 1919. Whilst the mintage is remarkable. Even more remarkable, the coins were struck in a reduced alloy of .625 silver, instead of the normal .925, a fineness that had been adopted since the first Australian silver coin issue of 1910. One shilling was retained by the Mint for its archives and is currently held by the Museum of Victoria. Two coins were given to Government officials, including the Treasurer at the time. The political damage of having a debased coin accidentally getting out into circulation saw the application of an official counter stamp, to signify the coin's reduced silver content. Two 'S''s were officially counter stamped on both sides of the obverse and reverse fields. This coin is famous. This coin charts history. This coin is rare. And this coin is available now.

The 1852 Adelaide Pound is the nation’s very first gold coin. And this example is impressive, highly lustrous with superb design detail. And that follows our first rule for acquisition ... acquire a coin that looks good to the naked eye. Take up the eye glass and it continues to shine with a whisper touch of circulation to the high points and minimal marks in the fields ... and that follows our second rule for acquisition. Ensure the technical details of the coin are sound and as described. Our final rule asks you to check out the coin again just to make sure nothing has been overlooked. This example passes our three-point rule with flying colours. It is a well-priced example of the nation’s very first gold coin, offered in a premium quality level. This is a coin that you will be proud to show family and friends.

The Museum of Victoria joined with Spink Australia in July 1988 to create a gala coin auction as part of Australia's Bicentenary celebrations. The museum auctioned off some of its duplicates, coins of national significance such as the 1920 Star Florin and 1920 Star Shilling. And pieces that had never been seen before nor available to collectors, occasions when the entire mintage was placed in archives with none passed to officials or members of the public. Coins such as the 1902 Sydney Mint Two Pounds, struck in the last day of operation of the Sydney Mint. Australia’s rarest Penny, the 1945 Penny. The pattern cupro-nickel 1946 Florin, to be offered by Coinworks next month. And this specimen 1932 Florin. The '32 florin sold at the Spink Australia 1988 Auction for $10,000 on a pre-auction estimate of $6000. A further sale is recorded in 2006, by Monetarium to the current owner. This coin is the only specimen quality example available to collectors of this powerful, rare date florin.

The 1930 Penny is legendary, and its star status has made it one of Australia's most valuable rare coins. To assist collectors in their selection process, we offer one very basic tip ... acquire a 1930 Penny that is visually very attractive and has no major defects from its time in circulation. A glance at the technical photos, both obverse and reverse, of this coin shows that it is simply a great 1930 Penny. The obverse is graded About Very Fine and the reverse a higher quality grading of Very Fine. Collectors will note the partial central diamond and six plump pearls in the king’s crown. If you have been sitting back watching the market and waiting for a quality 1930 Penny to come along ... then this is the coin for you.

This 1813 Holey Dollar has a distinctive edge. While most Holey Dollars were created from Charles IV Spanish Silver Dollars, this coin was minted from a Ferdinand VII Silver Dollar. And that makes it one of the rarest Holey Dollars. As evidenced by the photos, it also is supreme for quality. One hundred and ninety-three Holey Dollars are held today by private collectors. But, of those just THIRTEEN were created from Ferdinand VII Mexico Mint Silver Dollars. This coin is one of the thirteen and the very reason why we say it has a distinctive edge. This Holey Dollar is photographed on page 65 of the Mira Noble book, 'The Holey Dollars of News South Wales', a copy of which will be gifted to the new owner. Technical shots re-affirm the quality of this extremely rare Holey Dollar.

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 fields are smooth and reflective and the design details crisp and clearly visible to the naked eye. And that’s also a sign of a high-quality coin. This is a superior quality example of the nation’s first coin, ranked in the top FIFTEEN 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. (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 strong 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.

The Proof 1930 Penny is legendary. And so is its lower denomination counterpart, the Proof 1930 Halfpenny. Both coins have a date that counts, ‘1930’, the year resonating with all Australians. And a year that guarantees their continuing popularity. This Proof 1930 Halfpenny is particularly famous and has a remarkable history that almost eclipses that of its higher denomination counterpart, the Proof 1930 Penny. The coin has a Syd Hagley provenance and is rare, with only two other known examples. It has made two auction appearances in Australia over the last forty-two years, the first offering in March 1981 where it fetched $13,000 on an estimate of $2000. A further appearance occurred in March 2000, this glorious proof selling for $39,100 on an estimate of $25,000. FDC with iridescent mirror surfaces that give off stunning purple and emerald-green colours, highlighting the date and highlighting the legend on both obverse and reverse. The inner beading is pristine. The edge denticles immaculate. This is a memorable coin!

The years 1914 and 1915 are profoundly significant for all Australians. And they represent a major chapter in the nation’s history when Australia, as a dominion of the British Empire, was committed to war. The years 1914 and 1915 are also profoundly significant for coin collectors and represent a major chapter in Australia's numismatic history. The nation's coinage was stuck at the privately owned Heaton Mint in Birmingham creating some of Australia’s greatest coin rarities including these stunning silver proofs. The coins were unknown until the 1970s when they were discovered in the vaults of the Heaton Mint, a minuscule cache of flawless mint-state presentation pieces, their hibernation in a strictly static, controlled environment fostering a beautiful olive steel/grey patina.

This Proof 1927 Shilling is spectacular. And it is extremely rare. Just two examples of the Proof 1927 Shilling have surfaced over the last half century … this piece that was last offered at public auction in 1982. And one other coin that was offered in 1975 and has not been sighted since. (The limited appearances are typical of this area of the market). Aesthetically this Proof 1927 Shilling is magnificent, the fields as smooth as ice, and highly reflective. Almost too good to shut away, this coin has been displayed many times over attracting the interest of the collecting public and numismatic dealers alike. Take a look at the obverse. It is stunning.