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78785-1939-Proof-Halfpenny-Rev-February-2024
78785-1939-Proof-Halfpenny-Obv-February-2024
Coins, Halfpenny
COIN
1939 Proof Halfpenny Melbourne Mint
STATUS
$20,000
QUALITY
Superb FDC with full copper brilliance on both obverse and reverse and surfaces that reflect stunning colours
PROVENANCE
Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins
COMMENTS
Mystery surrounds the striking of the 1939 Proof Halfpenny. So, what do we know about the coin? The 1939 Proof Halfpenny was struck at the Melbourne Mint and the mintage was believed to be 100, in line with those proofs struck in the previous year. As this was a commercial exercise, the mint was not gifting the coins, but selling them at a one shilling premium over face value. We also know that with the outbreak of war the Melbourne Mint allocated its resources to supporting the war effort rather than fostering its commercial sales. Records show that none were sold. The minuscule sightings confirm that a small number were sold, the most likely buyer New Zealand dealer Henry Williams, the person responsible for financing the proofs of 1934 and 1935. Throughout history, extraordinary events have impacted on currency creating what we refer to as numismatic stars. And this 1939 Proof Halfpenny is one such star. A key element of the series of proofs struck between 1916 and 1953, it also is one of the rarest. We estimate you would sight one such example on the market every four to five years. And one as glorious as this coin, once or twice a decade.
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78785-1939-Proof-Halfpenny-Obv-February-2024
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The Melbourne Mint commenced striking Australia’s Commonwealth coins for Treasury in 1916.  

And so, we ask … how many proofs did the mint strike for collectors in 1916?

Given that the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra is today striking circulating coins for Treasury and proof coins of its circulating currency for collectors, it is a natural assumption that the Melbourne Mint would have been doing the same and on an annual basis.

Answer. There were no proof coins struck for collectors in 1916.

The Melbourne Mint’s first proof issue, created with the intention of selling to collectors, occurred in 1927. That's eleven years after the mint began striking Australia’s Commonwealth currency. The coin was, the now famous, Proof Canberra Florin.

The mint would again, seven years later, strike proofs. This time a set of six proof coins of each of the denominations from the halfpenny through to the florin. The 1934 Six Coin Proof Set.

That’s two issues over eighteen years.

This sporadic approach to striking proofs for collectors was consistent with the mint’s policy of striking circulating coins for Treasury. And not catering to the whims of collectors.

Collectors would again be offered a taste of proof coining in 1935, 1937 and 1938 and 1939, the very last year of proof coining in this era of ad-hoc proof strikes.

And it is noted that not every denomination was offered to collectors in each of these years.

The chart below documents those proof issues that were struck by the Melbourne Mint between 1916 and 1953.

The mintages are based on mint records, including records of sales.

1927 proof florin only, suggested mintage 400

1934 – every denomination from proof halfpenny through to proof florin, suggested mintage 50

• 1935 – proof penny and proof halfpenny only, suggested mintage 125

• 1937 – proof crown only, suggested mintage 100

• 1938 – every denomination including the proof crown, suggested mintage 68 proof sets & 52 proof crowns

• 1939 – proof halfpenny only, suggested mintage 40

The chart highlights the extreme rarity of the 1939 Proof Halfpenny.


49559-1916-Specimen-Set-REV-Mood-May-2022
COIN
1916 Presentation Set in an original velvet-lined case of issue.
PRICE
$75,000
STATUS
Available now
QUALITY
Specimen quality, the coins perfectly matched with stunning cobalt-blue, steel-grey, purple and gold colours
PROVENANCE
Monetarium Singapore Auction Number 1, 18 April 2008 Lot 54
COMMENTS
The 1916 Presentation Set is a national treasure, lauded by collectors for its supreme historical importance. And its overwhelming rarity. Produced in 1916 at the Melbourne Mint it is a four-coin set of florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence specially struck to the highest quality standards and housed in a velvet-lined blue case. It was a big deal at the time. A numismatic celebration that guaranteed collectors would remember the year the Melbourne Mint began striking Australia’s silver coinage. And it’s a big deal today. A momentous date commemorated by a highly sought after presentation, only seven original cased sets have been sighted at auction over the last half century. The technical shots shown below confirm that this is a beautifully matched specimen set of florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence, the toning absolutely spectacular with stunning cobalt-blue, steel grey, purple and gold colours. The front-cover item of Monetarium Singapore's inaugural auction in 2008, this sublime 1916 Presentation Set is available now.
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The Melbourne Mint was Australia’s longest serving mint to Government and the community, striking its first coin in 1872 and its last in 1964.

Two dates are integral to the mint's long history and to the nation’s numismatic heritage.

The most significant is its opening year, 1872, when the mint struck its first sovereign. The second most significant date is 1916 when the Melbourne Mint switched metals and commenced striking silver coins for the newly formed Commonwealth of Australia.

Sadly, for collectors, the mint failed to produce any presentation pieces for its opening in 1872.

That numismatic shortcoming was addressed in 1916. The Deputy Master of the Melbourne Mint authorised the production of sixty cased Presentation Sets, some of which were sold to collectors with others gifted to dignitaries.

Natural attrition has taken its toll on the original mintage and only seven cased presentation sets have been observed at auction over the last half-century.

Each coin in this 1916 Presentation Set has been carefully examined and we make the following comments.

1916 Specimen Florin - Beautifully struck, with superb detail in all design elements. Smooth surfaces and highly reflective with stunning colours on both obverse and reverse, the coin exhibits the classic striations associated with this controlled specimen striking.

1916 Specimen Shilling - Highly reflective, superbly struck and beautiful antique toning. The reverse reveals multiple striations (raised parallel lines) across the fields; with those between the scroll and date and behind the emu strongly evident. Precise edge denticles and high rim.

1916 Specimen Sixpence - Proof-like with beautifully mirrored fields. Very well struck, the denticles on the reverse rim are unusually strong. Beautifully mirrored fields on the obverse with microscopic striations confirming careful preparation of the dies.

1916 Specimen Threepence - A full brilliant mirror finish with handsome blue and pink toning. The coin is extremely well struck, noticeable in the strength of strike in the star, shield and scroll. Strong striations confirm careful preparation of the dies at the Melbourne Mint.


49559-1916-Specimen-Set-REV-TECHS-October-2023
49559-1916-Specimen-Set-OBV-TECHS-October-2023
49559-1916-Specimen-Set-REV-TECHS-October-2023
49559-1916-Specimen-Set-OBV-TECHS-October-2023

Early in November 1915 the Melbourne Mint was formally instructed to commence preparations for the striking of the Commonwealth's silver coinage. The silver was sourced locally from the Broken Hill mines. (Prior to 1915, the nation's silver coinage had been minted overseas at the Royal Mint London and the Heaton Mint in Birmingham.)

Towards the end of November 1915, dies for the set of four denominations were sent from London.

Six weeks after the dies were shipped, the Governor of Victoria Sir Arthur Stanley K.C.M.G, struck the first circulating 1916 shilling. It was logical that the Melbourne Mint would begin striking silver coinage with the shilling denomination given its similar physical size to their familiar sovereign.

The florin was struck almost immediately after, sixpences by the middle of 1916 with the threepences finally in December. More than 11.5 million silver coins were released into circulation that year.

The Melbourne Mint's inaugural striking of Australia's Commonwealth coins was a momentous occasion in minting circles. The Deputy Master of the Melbourne Mint therefore decided to create a Presentation Set. (A Presentation Set records an important moment or event in a nation's history by way of its coinage.)

Each presentation set was comprised of the four silver coins of florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence struck to specimen quality and featured the Melbourne mint mark ‘M’ below the date 1916.

The four coins were housed in a handsome, velvet-lined royal blue case that had been locally sourced.

The availability of the four-coin specimen presentation set was confirmed in November 1916 when Le Souëf recorded an entry of sixty specimen sets in the Mint Museums’ cash accounts with a face value of £11 5/-.

While records show that 60 sets were produced, sixteen were sold, collectors charged 6/- for a cased set. A further 25 sets out of the original mintage were presented to dignitaries and politicians with the precise fate of the remaining sets unknown.

What we do know is that many of the cases have been lost and many of the sets have been broken up and sold as individual coins. We also know that others were accidentally used as circulating coins, their value irreparably reduced through wear.

Over the past 50 years we have sighted only seven sets housed in their original case of issue. The case is a stamp of authority indicating that the coins are presented today as they were originally intended more than a century ago.

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78777-1933-Proof-Shilling-Rev-February-2024
78777-1933-Proof-Shilling-Obv-February-2024
Shilling, Coins
COIN
Unique 1933 Proof Shilling, a proof striking of Australia's rarest circulating shilling
PRICE
$75,000
STATUS
SOLD 5/3/2024
QUALITY
FDC with stunning mirror fields, beautiful golden colours around the periphery. Heavy striations on both obverse and reverse reflect careful die preparation.
PROVENANCE
Barrie Winsor Collection, 2003 • Private Collection Sydney.
COMMENTS
The Proof 1930 Penny • The Proof 1923 Halfpenny • The Proof 1933 Shilling. These three proof coins all share a common thread. They are proofs of rare date circulating currency and are extremely rare, very prestigious, highly sought after and highly valued. The 1930 Penny, Australia’s rarest circulating penny. The 1923 Halfpenny, the nation’s rarest circulating halfpenny. And the 1933 Shilling Australia’s rarest circulating shilling, the mintage a trifling 220,000 coins, the limited numbers due to the Depression. This 1933 Proof Shilling was struck as a presentation piece at the Melbourne Mint and is one of the truly great coins of Australian numismatics, a proof striking of Australia’s rarest circulating shilling. Enhancing its greatness, the coin is the only example available to collectors. And that's a powerful combination. The ultimate standing and the ultimate rarity.
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78777-1933-Proof-Shilling-Obv-February-2024
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This 1933 Proof Shilling was not struck for collectors as part of any mass-marketing sales campaign. The coin 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 it as a 'Coin 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.

 

 


41110-1935-Proof-Penny-Rev-February-2024
41110-1935-Proof-Penny-Obv-February-2024
COIN
Proof 1935 Penny struck at the Melbourne Mint
PRICE
$25,000
STATUS
ON HOLD 7/3/2024
QUALITY
A stunning FDC with full copper brilliance and one of the finest we have handled
PROVENANCE
Sold by private treaty to a Shepparton Collector, 2002
COMMENTS
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.
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41110-1935-Proof-Penny-Obv-February-2024
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The pride and satisfaction associated with owning a special coin is markedly enhanced with knowledge of both the people associated with its production and previous owners through whose hands it has passed.

New Zealand numismatist, Henry George Williams played a key role in persuading the Melbourne Mint to issue proof coins on a commercial basis in 1935.

Williams was captivated by the golden-eye appeal achieved by the Melbourne Mint with their proof coppers and ordered 126 pennies and 126 halfpennies. Williams sold the majority of pairs into the advanced collector markets in the U.K. and the U.S, the very reason why the coins are so scarce in the Australian market.

That Williams did not request the minting of any proof silver coins in 1935 reflected his personal preference and his insight into the market, that demand for the bronze coins far outweighed that for the silver.

Historical letters confirm that the proofs of 1935 were struck from especially hardened blanks, and were struck twice with fresh dies in the presses. The lack of bag marks is consistent with the coins being made effectively by hand.

Natural attrition has taken its toll on the original mintage with many of the coins poorly handled or accidentally filtering their way into circulation.

We would expect to sight a Proof 1935 Penny on the open market, perhaps once every year. A coin of this calibre will involve a wait of several years.


With on-line ordering and toll-free phone numbers, buying your favourite collector coin from the Royal Australian Mint has never been easier. Collectors in the nineteenth and twentieth century however were not afforded the same consideration from the operating mints.

The Sydney Mint opened in 1855 as a branch of the Royal Mint London and closed in 1926. Throughout its entire history, the mint did not strike proofs for collectors on a commercial basis. The Melbourne Mint, Australia’s second coining facility, opened in 1872. During its first forty-four years of operation, the mint did not strike coins for collectors on a commercial basis.

The Melbourne Mint’s first commercial foray for collectors occurred in 1916 when the mint especially created a presentation set to commemorate its inaugural striking of the Commonwealth’s silver coins.

Sadly, for collectors, the 1916 Presentation Set did not set a precedent for further coin issues. Government policy dictated that minting resources be applied to the striking of circulating coins for Treasury, rather than pandering to the whims of collectors through the regular issuing of proofs.

Over the next thirty-eight years, from 1916 to 1953, the Melbourne Mint played ‘cat and mouse’ with collectors by releasing only another seven proof and/or specimen issues. The issues were ad hoc. The mintages inconsistent.

The years in which the collector issues occurred were 1916, 1927, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1939 and 1953. We refer to these eight issues as ‘The Collector Coins of the Melbourne Mint, 1916 to 1953’.

They were pivotal in changing Australia's coin collecting landscape in the twentieth century, the pre-cursor to the series taken up by the Royal Australian Mint in 1966.

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78780-1930-Proof-Halfpenny-Rev-February-2024
78780-1930-Proof-Halfpenny-Obv-February-2024
COIN
Proof 1930 Halfpenny
STATUS
A HIGHLIGHT OF OUR MARCH INVENTORY • COMING SOON
QUALITY
Red and brown toned with considerable underlying brilliance.
PROVENANCE
Nobles Auction July 2002 lot 1285
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78780-1930-Proof-Halfpenny-Obv-February-2024
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Proof coins are prestigious. And proof coins are extremely rare.

And if they have been carefully preserved, proof coins are spectacular to look at with pristine edge denticles, a highly detailed design set against a backdrop of superb, smooth and highly reflective fields.

Under careful examination, proof coins will also show striations in the fields, a by-product of the intensive die preparation involved in proof coining. And the edges will be highly polished.

Place a proof coin next to an Uncirculated coin and the differences are clear, even to the naked eye.

Proofs command respect and they command admiration.

Ask collectors why they pursue proof coins over circulating currency and the prestige of owning a proof coin is most likely at the top of their list. It's the euphoria that comes with owning something that looks spectacular and that very few other people can ever possess.

In some respect, proof coin collectors are playing it smart because the inherent rarity of proof coinage provides a level of assurance that the market will never be inundated with examples, protecting their investment.

Aussies just love their coppers.

And within the penny and halfpenny series, collector preference is for those coins that were struck in limited mintages, that are especially rare in today's market.

Coins such as the illustrious 1930 Penny, the revered 1925 Penny: rare dates that were struck in mintages of 1500 and 117,000 respectively.

(To put these numbers into perspective, 5.8 million pennies were struck in 1933 and 9.8 million in 1936.)

A rare date status has a huge impact on the desirability - and the value - of a proof striking. You only have to look at the $1.5 million dollar price tag on the Proof 1930 Penny to appreciate how key dates and high values go hand-in-hand.

And a rare date status for a penny also has an impact on the desirability (and hence the value) of its lower denomination proof halfpenny counterpart.

The popularity and the demand for the Proof 1930 Halfpenny is borne out by its auction results. 


THE PROOF 1930 HALFPENNY ... 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 maybe 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

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78790-1939-Proof-Shilling-Rev-February-2024
78790-1939-Proof-Shilling-Obv-February-2024
Coins, Shilling
COIN
Unique 1939 Proof Shilling Melbourne Mint
STATUS
A HIGHLIGHT OF OUR MARCH INVENTORY • COMING SOON
QUALITY
FDC
PROVENANCE
Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins
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78790-1939-Proof-Shilling-Obv-February-2024
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20091-1888-Proof-Sovereign-Rev-February-2024
20091-1888-Proof-Sovereign-Obv-February-2024
COIN
1888 Proof Sovereign struck at the Melbourne Mint as a Presentation Piece
PRICE
$125,000
STATUS
AVAILABLE NOW.
QUALITY
Superb FDC
PROVENANCE
Spink Auctions November 1981, Lot 995 • Spink Auctions July 1988, Lot 2312 • Philip Spalding Collection • Private Collection Perth
COMMENTS
Experience the power of luck and heritage with this 1888 St George & the Dragon Proof Sovereign. A symbol of prosperity, it holds the promise of a fortunate year ahead. • The coin features St George and the Dragon, particularly auspicious in this, the Year of the Dragon. • And was struck in 1888 at the Melbourne Mint, the date favored by fortune. Extremely rare, as one of two sighted at auction, and from the esteemed Philip Spalding Collection, this luxurious 1888 St George & the Dragon Proof Sovereign is available now. The technical shots provided reaffirm the glorious state of this coin.
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20091-1888-Proof-Sovereign-Obv-February-2024
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20091-1888-Proof-Sovereign-Rev-TECH-February-2024

The reverse features the very famous design of Saint George and the Dragon created by Italian gem and coin engraver Benedetto Pistrucci. 

20091-1888-Proof-Sovereign-Obv-TECH-February-2024

This 1888 Proof Sovereign features the Jubilee portrait of Queen Victoria designed by Austrian medallist and sculptor Joseph Edgar Boehm.


Gold has been a symbol of status and wealth throughout the ages and is presented here in one of its most prestigious forms.

A limited mintage gold proof coin. One of two sighted at auction.

And while Philip Spalding is remembered for his love of Holey Dollars. It must be said that he was a sophisticated collector on many levels, guided in his selections by Barrie Winsor. And this 1888 Proof Sovereign, featuring the Jubilee portrait of Queen Victoria, was one of his prized possessions.

A reverse of St George & the Dragon and an obverse Jubilee portrait.

Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee, the fiftieth anniversary of her accession, on 20 June 1887.

The Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria that was depicted on Australia’s sovereigns between 1871 and 1887 was replaced with a Jubilee portrait designed by Austrian medallist Joseph Edgar Boehm.

The Jubilee portrait continued uninterrupted on Australia's sovereigns from 1887 up to (and including) 1893 when Australia introduced Queen Victoria’s Veiled Head portrait.

Jubilee Proof Sovereigns are extremely rare.

When sizing up a coin and evaluating its potential for growth, a buyer needs to consider two aspects.

  1. The rarity of the coin itself.
  2. And the rarity of the sector of the market to which it belongs.

The adage, ‘less is best’ holds true in the rare coin industry for you don't want the market to be flooded with examples from the same sector.

The ideal ‘investment’ scenario occurs when the coin is rare. And the sector is occupied by very few other coins. This coin a case in point!

 

 

So how does this Proof 1888 Sovereign stack up?

As detailed above, this Proof 1888 Sovereign is rare. One of two sighted at auction. And it is noted that Proof Sovereigns out of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee era (1887 to 1893) are amazingly limited in numbers as the text below reveals.

Sydney Mint Jubilee Proofs

  • The Sydney Mint struck proofs in the very first year of the design, 1887. Two examples have been sighted.
  • The Sydney Mint did NOT strike any proofs in the years 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891 and 1892.
  • The Sydney Mint struck proofs in the last year of the design, 1893. Only one example has been sighted.

Melbourne Mint Jubilee Proofs

  • The Melbourne Mint struck proofs in the first year of the design, 1887. The coin has never been sighted.
  • The Melbourne Mint struck proofs in 1888. Two examples have been sighted. This coin. And another example that was last sighted at auction in 1994.
  • The Melbourne Mint struck proofs in 1889. One example has been sighted, the last auction appearance occurring in 1988.
  • The Melbourne Mint is said to have struck proofs in 1890. They have never been sighted.
  • The Melbourne Mint did NOT strike any proofs in the years 1891 and 1892.
  • The Melbourne Mint struck Jubilee proofs in 1893, none of which have ever been sighted.

Aside from their extreme scarcity, proof gold coins are a delight to the eye, appealing to those who seek perfection in coining.

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78164-1813-1789-Holey-Dollar-Lima-Mint-OBV-December-2023
78164-1813-1789-Holey-Dollar-Lima-Mint-REV-December-2023
COIN
Unique 1813 Holey Dollar, created from a Lima Mint Spanish Silver Dollar struck in 1789 during the reign of Charles IV and featuring the portrait and legend of the deceased monarch, Charles III
PRICE
$550,000
STATUS
SOLD 23/2/2024
QUALITY
Original coin: A supreme quality Extremely Fine. Counter-stamps: A supreme quality Extremely Fine. As such, one of the finest.
PROVENANCE
Spink London privately from Andre de Cleremont 1989, Status International 2005, Mr Steven Sparkman • Exhibited at The Macquarie Bank, 2013 • The Royal Australian Mint Exhibition, 2019
COMMENTS
A monarch’s death necessitates a currency change. But when a monarch dies, and a new portrait is unavailable, resourceful Governments introduce ad hoc measures to maintain coin production. It is an environment that can spawn a great coin rarity, a numismatic star. And this Holey Dollar is one such star. The original Spanish Silver Dollar was issued in 1789 during the reign of Charles IV yet features the portrait and legend of his father, Charles III, who died in 1788. Three hundred Holey Dollars survive today and of those, only two have this extraordinary design detail. The first is a well circulated example, the silver dollar issued at the Mexico Mint. And the second is this coin, the silver dollar enjoying minimal circulation, originating at the Lima Mint in Peru. This Holey Dollar is defined by superb quality, the rare Lima Mint and an extraordinary design detail. This is an historic offering of an important Holey Dollar, a coin that is unique and that plays a pivotal role in Australia's Holey Dollar story. A coin that has also been the highlight of two exhibitions, at the Macquarie Bank in 2013 and the Royal Australian Mint Canberra in 2019.
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78164-1813-1789-Holey-Dollar-Lima-Mint-REV-December-2023
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The Holey Dollar is the nation’s first coinage, introduced by Governor Lachlan Macquarie.

It is the 'coin with the hole', cut from an imported Spanish Silver Dollar into a donut form. And over stamped around the inner edge of the hole with the date 1813 to signify its year of issue.

Forty thousand Spanish Silver Dollars were imported to create forty thousand Holey Dollars, the nation's first circulating currency.

Governor Lachlan Macquarie wasn’t fussy about the dollar's quality. Nor did he care about the date, the reigning monarch or the mint at which the dollars were struck.

Some dates were more represented than others. Some mints were also more represented than others, the Mexico Mint prolific in its silver coin production by comparison to the mints at Lima or Potosi that were modest producers.

Thirty-nine thousand, nine hundred and ten Holey Dollars were delivered to Governor Macquarie. Spoilage and the despatch of samples back to Britain accounting for the missing ninety coins.

Today, approximately one hundred and ninety four Holey Dollars are held in private hands.

Those one hundred and ninety four examples are classified into types based on the reigning monarch at the time AND the legend and portrait of the monarch depicted on the Spanish Silver Dollar. The monarchs cover the spectrum from Ferdinand VI, Charles III, Charles IV, Joseph Bonaparte and Ferdinand VII.

There are seven distinct types of Holey Dollars.

• twenty-four (or twelve per cent) were created from silver dollars that were struck during the reign of Charles III and feature his legend and portrait. We refer you to the purple text in the below chart.

• two (or one per cent) were created from silver dollars that were struck during the reign of Charles IV and that feature the legend and portrait of the deceased King Charles III. (This coin one of the two.) We refer you to the green text in the below chart.

• by comparison, seventy two per cent of the privately owned Holey Dollars were created from silver dollars struck during the reign of Charles IV and that depict his legend and portrait. We refer you to the orange text in the below chart.

The chart below details the seven types of Holey Dollars, and the protocols for their classification based on the legend and portrait of the ruling Spanish monarch. The availability to collectors of each type is also shown.

This Holey Dollar is one of the rarest types, with only two examples available to private collectors. 

types & availability

78164-1813-1789-Holey-Dollar-Lima-Mint-OBV-TECH-December-2023

Remarkable quality and an early date for with a quality grading of Extremely Fine, this is the finest Charles III Holey Dollar available to collectors.

If a Holey Dollar had been struck from a bright and shiny brand-new piece of silver, we would accept that some, maybe many, would survive today relatively unscathed.

The Holey Dollar, however, was struck from a Spanish Silver Dollar, a commodity that was far from shiny and brand-new. The coin was heavily traded worldwide with most well-used and worn.

And this Holey Dollar was created from a silver dollar that was issued in 1789.

The coin is in a miraculous state when you consider that the original silver dollar circulated twenty-four years before it was imported into the colony of New South Wales by Governor Lachlan Macquarie and plucked out of the barrel by his cohort William Henshall and defaced by cutting a hole in it.

More than two decades. Plenty of opportunities for wear. And plenty of opportunities for defects. None of which are evident. There is only a hint of wear to the high points.

Now, we have handled a Holey Dollar that was struck from a Potosi Mint 1807 Spanish Silver Dollar. Graded at Extremely Fine, it's an exciting coin because Holey Dollars at this quality level are extremely scarce, in the top seven per cent of known surviving examples.

But which coin is the more remarkable? An Extremely Fine Holey Dollar struck from an 1807 Spanish Silver Dollar that circulated six years before William Henshall got his hands on it. Or an Extremely Fine Holey Dollar struck from a Spanish Silver Dollar that was minted in 1789 and circulated twenty-four years before Henshall punched the hole into it. The answer is obvious.

78164-1813-1789-Holey-Dollar-Lima-Mint-REV-TECH-December-2023

The earlier the date of the Spanish Silver Dollar, the greater the period of circulation before it came into Henshall’s hands.

So, the earlier the date, the more remarkable the occurrence of finding a top-quality Holey Dollar.

The conundrum of this Holey Dollar is how the 1789 Spanish Silver Dollar escaped being used. How did it retain a pristine condition during the thirty-six years before it arrived in the colony and was grabbed out of a barrel by William Henshall?

In the eighteenth-century Spain ruled the world and the Spanish Silver Dollar dominated trade. It was an international currency and medium of exchange the world over. The reason why most Holey Dollars are found today well worn.

Holey-dollar-chart-March-2020

How a Spanish Silver Dollar became the 1813 Holey Dollar.

Governor Lachlan Macquarie etched his name into numismatic history forever when in 1812 he imported 40,000 Spanish Silver Dollars to alleviate a currency crisis in the infant colony of New South Wales.

Macquarie’s order for Silver Dollars did not specify dates. Any date would do. He wasn’t concerned about the various mints at which they were struck. Nor was he fussy about the quality of the coins. The extensive use of the Spanish Silver Dollar as an international trading coin meant that most were well worn.

Concluding that the shipment of 40,000 Spanish Silver Dollars would not suffice, Macquarie decided to cut a hole in the centre of each dollar, thereby creating two coins out of one, a ring dollar and a disc. It was an extension of a practice of ‘cutting’ coins into segments, widespread at the time.

Macquarie needed a man skilled in coin techniques to carry out his project. William Henshall acquired his skills as an engraver in Birmingham, where the major portion of his apprenticeship consisted of mastering the art of die sinking and die stamping for the shoe buckle and engraved button trades. He was apprehended in 1805 for forgery (forging Bank of England Dollars) and sentenced to the penal colony of New South Wales for seven years.

Enlisted by Lachlan Macquarie as the colony’s first mint master, Henshall commenced the coining process by cutting out a disc from each silver dollar using a hand-lever punch.

He then proceeded to re-stamp both sides of the holed dollar around the inner circular edge with the value of five shillings, the date 1813 and the issuing authority of New South Wales. 

Other design elements in this re-stamping process included a fleur de lis, a twig of two leaves and a tiny ‘H’ for Henshall.

The holed coins were officially known as ring, pierced or colonial dollars and although ‘holey’ was undoubtedly applied to them from the outset, the actual term ‘holey’ dollar did not appear in print until the 1820s. We refer to the coins today as the 1813 New South Wales Five Shillings (or Holey Dollar).

The silver disc that fell out of the hole wasn’t wasted. Henshall restamped the disc with a crown, the issuing authority of New South Wales and the lesser value of 15 pence and it became known as the Dump. The term ‘dump’ was applied officially right from the beginning; a name that continues to this day.

In creating two coins out of one, Macquarie effectively doubled the money supply. And increased their total worth by 25 per cent.

Anyone counterfeiting ring dollars or dumps were liable to a seven-year prison term; the same penalty applied for melting down the coins. Jewellers were said to be particularly suspect. To prevent export, masters of ships were required to enter into a bond of £200 not to carry the coin away.

Of the 40,000 silver dollars imported by Macquarie, records indicate that 39,910 of each coin were delivered to the Deputy Commissary General’s Office by January 1814 with several despatched back to Britain as specimens, the balance assumed spoiled during production.

The New South Wales colonial administration began recalling Holey Dollars and Dumps and replacing them with sterling coinage from 1822.

The Holey Dollar and Dump remained as currency within the colony until 1829. The colony had by then reverted to a standard based on sterling and a general order was issued by Governor Darling to withdraw and demonetise the dollars and dumps.

The recalled specie was eventually shipped off to the Royal Mint London, melted down and sold off to the Bank of England for £5044.

It is estimated that approximately 300 Holey Dollars exist today of which a third are held in public institutions with the balance owned by private collectors. 


72803-Dominica-Holey-Dollar-and-Dump-OBV-February-2024
72803-Dominica-Holey-Dollar-and-Dump-REV-February-2024
COIN
Extremely rare Holey Dollar, struck in the British Colony of Dominica
PRICE
$50,000
STATUS
Available now
QUALITY
Fine with lovely glossy surfaces
PROVENANCE
Howard. D. Gibbs Collection
COMMENTS
Had the craftsman that tooled out this Holey Dollar been a history buff he would have registered that the Spanish Silver Dollar that he was about to cut through, was quirky. And a great numismatic rarity. The Silver Dollar was struck in 1790, the legend confirming that Charles IV was the reigning Spanish monarch. But there is a twist to this coin! The portrait depicted the deceased monarch, Charles III, who had died two years earlier in 1788. And it is the twist that makes this Holey Dollar a coin of significance and a great numismatic rarity. We note the first formal record of ownership of this Holey Dollar is Howard D Gibbs. A great collector with a keen eye for rarity, he was a former owner of the world famous Madrid Holey Dollar and the only known example of an Uncirculated Holey Dollar. This Holey Dollar from the British colony of Dominica is supremely rare.
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This Holey Dollar was struck in 1813 on a 1790 Mexico Mint Spanish Silver Dollar, pierced from the reverse side with crenellations.

The pierced dollar was then counter stamped on the King’s head and on the reverse with a crowned 16 within a shaped indent. The monetary value was 16 bitts.

The original Spanish Dollar from which it was created features the legend of the reigning monarch Charles IV.

But the twist to this coin is that it features the portrait of the deceased monarch Charles III.

We refer to it as a 'Transitional' Holey Dollar and they are supremely rare.

Transitional Holey Dollars chronicle the limitations of communications in this era. And the challenges of the colonial mints wishing to maintain silver coin production. 

Eager to maintain production of silver coins to flow into Spanish coffers, a Royal decree granted the colonial mints the right to continue striking coins with the portrait of the deceased King Charles III.

The legend was however amended to acknowledge the new monarch Charles IV, thereby observing the currency protocols for the passing of a monarch..

By 1791, the mints had received the portrait of the new king; the official portrait of Charles IV appearing on the Spanish Silver Dollars for the first time in that year.


Dominica is a Caribbean Island. First sighted by Christopher Columbus in 1493, later colonized by the French in the 17th century and a British colony one century later.

Between 1642 and 1650, French missionary Raymond Breton became the first regular European visitor to the island.

In 1660, the French and English agreed that Dominica and St. Vincent should not be settled, but left to the Caribs as neutral territory.

But its natural resources attracted expeditions of English and French foresters, who began harvesting timber. 

In 1690, the French established their first permanent settlements. French woodcutters from Martinique and Guadeloupe began to set up timber camps to supply the French islands with wood and gradually become permanent settlers. 

In 1727, the first French commander, M. Le Grand, took charge of the island with a basic French government; Dominique formally became a colony of France, and the island was divided into districts or "quarters".

Already installed in Martinique and Guadeloupe and cultivating sugarcane, the French gradually developed plantations in Dominica for coffee. They imported so many African slaves to fill the labour demands that the population became predominantly African in ethnicity.

In 1761, during the Seven Years' War in Europe, a British expedition against Dominica led by Andrew Rollo conquered the island along with several other Caribbean islands. In 1763, France ceded the island to Great Britain under the Treaty of Paris.

The same year, the British established a legislative assembly, representing only European colonists. French remained the official language, but Antillean Creole was spoken by most of the population. In 1778 the French, with the active co-operation of the population, began the Invasion of Dominica, which was ended by the 1783 Treaty of Paris. French invasions in 1795 and 1805 ended in failure.


1937-Model-Penny-Rev-1-October-2020
1937-Model-Penny-Obv-1-October-2020
COIN
Edward VIII / George VI Royal Mint 1937 Uniface Pattern Penny
PRICE
$85,000
STATUS
SOLD 25/02/2024
QUALITY
Uncirculated, handsomely toned and superb glossy surfaces
PROVENANCE
Spink Auctions July 1987 Lot 1891, the coin selling for $8000 on a pre-sale estimate of $6000 • Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins
COMMENTS
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, coins that are overwhelmingly rare and supremely important. This 1937 Uniface Pattern Penny is one such numismatic superstar. The extraordinary event that triggered its star status was the cancellation of the coronation of Edward VIII. The Commonwealth Government planned to launch the flying kangaroo as Australia's new penny design in 1937 to coincide with Edward's coronation. The Royal Mint London prepared the master dies and struck prototypes of the design for the Government. Eight pennies were minted featuring the new kangaroo reverse designed by George Kruger Gray and the word 'MODEL' on the obverse. Edward VIII’s decision to abdicate the British throne AND the subsequent decision by the Australian Government NOT to issue circulating pennies in 1937 conferred a superstar status on the 1937 Uniface Penny. From the original mintage of eight coins struck at the Royal Mint London, six are now held by private collectors, with this coin noted as one of the finest.The technical shots below confirm the glorious state of this coin.
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32531-1937-Pattern-Penny-Rev-TECH-February-2024
32531-1937-Pattern-Penny-Obv-TECH-February-2024.jpg

The 1937 Uniface Pattern Penny is extremely rare with very few auction appearances.

Nobles Auction last offered a Good Extremely Fine 1937 Uniface Penny in 2019. Prior to that a defective/holed example was offered in 1995. International Auction Galleries offered a Good Extremely Fine coin in 2011. And Downies Australian Coin Auctions sold the finest known 1937 Uniface Penny in 2002.

That's 'slim pickings' ... four coins over three decades, one of which has been holed.

Throughout history, governments have recognised the political advantage of depicting major events on coins. The opening of Canberra's Parliament House in 1927. The celebration of fifty years since Federation, in 1951. The Royal Visit in 1954. To name but three!

Very public events that were recorded on our currency.

But, not every moment becomes a 'currency' event. In fact, great historical eras in Australia’s history might have gone unnoticed without our Pattern coinage.

So, what is a ‘pattern’ coin?

Pattern coins are test pieces, coins that were struck by the mints to obtain government approval or to assess public reaction. For various reasons, the coins never went into production so they represent what ‘might have been’.

And they are critical to presenting a nation’s complete history. They essentially fill in the gaps.

Their extreme popularity with collectors relates to their scarcity. They are amongst Australia’s rarest coins.

Consider the Patterns of 1937, coins that were produced with brand new Australian designs at the Royal Mint London, the penny but one of them. The florin, shilling and threepence were also up for revision and the Royal Mint produced prototypes of each of them.

The florin was struck depicting a revised Australian Coat of Arms. The threepence was struck featuring the three ears of wheat and the merino ram’s head became the feature design of the shilling.

The prime focus of the new designs was to impart a strong national identity.

The decision not to produce any circulating coinage in 1937 (with the exception of a five shillings) conferred a super star status on all the Royal Mint London 1937 Pattern coins.


50962-Proof-1887-Half-Sovereign-Obv-June-2022
50962-Proof-1887-Half-Sovereign-Rev-June-2022
COIN
1887 Proof Half Sovereign struck at the Melbourne Mint and the only known example
PRICE
$95,000
STATUS
SOLD 9/2/2024
QUALITY
Superb FDC, brilliant and flawless
PROVENANCE
John G. Murdoch Collection Lot 625, sold by Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge Auctioneers, 21 July 1903 • Spink Australia Auction November 1978 Lot 667 • Spink Australia Auction November 1981 Lot 1003 • Barrie Winsor sale by private treaty from the late Philip Spalding Collection.
COMMENTS
This 1887 Proof Half Sovereign is the only known example of what is, a very important year in Australia's coining heritage. It is a 'Coin of Record' and was struck at the Melbourne Mint as a presentation piece to record a new design featuring Queen Victoria's Jubilee portrait. The coin's first public appearance was in 1903 when it sold at Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, London as part of the famous John G. Murdoch Collection. Over the last century, no other examples have 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 - and the confidence - to buy.
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There is a 'wish-list' of key indicators that collectors look for in numismatic investment, they being rarity, an important date, widespread appeal and supreme proof quality. And this 1887 Proof Half Sovereign has the lot!

An important date.

It is an acknowledged fact that collectors pursue the first year of a series over and above all other years out of an era. The first year is defining. The second is not.

And the year '1887' is the very first year of a new design. The 'Jubilee' portrait of Queen Victoria was introduced in 1887 to mark the monarch's Golden jubilee (1837 - 1887). The design lasted only six years and was replaced with the Veiled Head design, reflecting the monarch's mature years.

The coin is extremely rare.

This coin was first sighted in 1903 in the liquidation of the famous John G Murdoch Collection, Lot 625. No other example has ever been sighted.

Not only is the coin extremely rare, but this area of the market presents very few options for buyers.

While sovereigns were produced at the Melbourne Mint each year and in mammoth numbers, half sovereign production was sporadic, the Mint producing half sovereigns for circulation in only two years, 1887 and 1893. And the mintages were minuscule.

The buyer seeking a proof striking of the Melbourne Mint’s circulating Jubilee Half Sovereigns therefore has only two date options, 1887 or 1893.

Widespread appeal.

Proof coins are prestigious. They inspire respect and admiration. Ask collectors why they pursue proof coins over circulating currency and the prestige of owning a proof coin is most likely at the top of their list. It's the euphoria that comes with owning something that very few other people can ever possess.

Proof coins are by definition, extremely rare and their scarcity is a natural draw card. In some respect, proof coin collectors are playing it smart because the inherent rarity of proof coinage provides a level of assurance that the market will never be inundated with examples, protecting their investment.

The rarity of Australia's proof sovereigns and half sovereigns is acknowledged worldwide and has instigated a strong reaction from buyers at several recent overseas auctions.

The Sincona Auction held in Zurich, November 2021, was a watershed moment for collectors of Australian proof gold sovereigns and proof gold half sovereigns. Two veiled head proof sovereigns, 1898 and 1901, sold for an equivalent of $100,000 and $190,000, the latter a rarer Perth Mint striking. While some collectors shook their heads in disbelief, we were elated that the coins are now commanding the respect - and the prices - that they deserve.

The momentum continued at Heritage Auctions in April 2022 where an 1855 Proof Sovereign and 1856 Proof Sovereign sold for record auction prices. And again at Sincona in 2023.

Supreme proof quality.

In 1978 and again in 1981, Spink Auctions described this coin as brilliant and flawless. And so have we. This 1887 Proof Half Sovereign is a masterpiece of coining skills.

 


When it comes to collecting vintage gold coins, collectors have two distinct options.

They can acquire coins that were struck for circulation: coins that were meant to be used. Or they can collect coins that were struck as presentation pieces to PROOF QUALITY.

The coin on offer is one such presentation piece, a Proof 1887 Half Sovereign struck at the Melbourne Mint.

That proof coins were struck in the nineteenth century may surprise some readers. But it has to be said that the striking of proof coins in Australia is not a modern day phenomenon. Nor a product of the decimal era. The nation’s mints were striking proofs of our pre-decimal coinage in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the intention was then, as it is today, to create limited mintage coins struck to the highest standards of quality.

Each option, circulating coinage or proof coinage, presents the buyer with a vastly different sized pool of specimens from which to choose.

General date (non-key date), average circulating gold sovereigns, are available in the thousands if not the tens of thousands. Once the collector sets parameters on quality and dates, the pool of specimens narrows and it is true that acquiring a key date gold coin that was struck for circulation, particularly one in premium quality, can be a journey in time that involves many months, if not years.

 

The task of acquiring gold proofs of our pre-decimal coinage is far more challenging. The pathway to proof coinage for buyers can involve many years, if not decades.

Rarity is the key word when discussing proof gold.

And it is a statement of fact that proof gold, irrespective of the sector, is extremely rare and buying opportunities will always be thin on the ground.

And the reasons?

• Proof gold coins were NOT struck every year.

• And of those dates that were struck as proofs, only one, or perhaps two up to a maximum of three made their way out into the collector market.

• Natural attrition has taken its toll on coins out of the original mintages with some of them filtering their way into circulation or being mishandled and thus having their quality marred. So suddenly one, two or three proofs becomes even less.

• Great coins tend to be held. The owner of the Madrid Collection held onto his gold proofs for more than twenty years. The Spalding family and collector Tom Hadley, of Quartermaster fame, held their proof coins for an even longer time-frame.

This Proof 1887 Half Sovereign is a golden opportunity and for just one buyer. No other proof half sovereigns of this date have appeared over the last century.

 


65602-1887-Young-Head-Sovereign-MM-OBV-December-2023
65602-1887-Young-Head-Sovereign-MM-REV-December-2023
COIN
1887 Young Head Shield Sovereign Melbourne Mint, the last year of the Queen Victoria Young Head Sovereign Series and a world class rarity.
PRICE
$37,500
STATUS
SOLD 17/3/2024
QUALITY
Brilliant Uncirculated with proof-like mirror fields and the tell-tale kiss-curl in front of the ear.
PROVENANCE
Robert Jaggard 1989 • Paul Terry • Sale by private treaty 1992 Monetarium to Tom Hadley, Quartermaster Collection (Lot 73)
COMMENTS
A coin that has a pedigree that includes Australia’s greatest gold coin collectors Bob Jaggard, Paul Terry and Tom Hadley will never disappoint. This 1887 Sovereign, a case in point. It is a rare date sovereign and it is the finest known. In Australia’s history, the year 1887 is unique in that it presented the Deputy Master of the Melbourne Mint with two distinctly different reverse designs, St George and the Dragon or Shield. And as Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee mid-1887, there were options of two distinctly different obverse designs, the Young Head or Jubilee portrait. With so many options, and no requirement to strike equal numbers of each, it was inevitable that a super-rarity would emerge. And it has in the form of this coin, the 1887 Shield Sovereign featuring the Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria. Extremely rare across all quality levels and this example the very finest at Brilliant Uncirculated. The technical shots, shown below, confirm its glorious state.
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65602-49059-1887-Shield-Sovereign-OBV-TECH-February-2024

This 1887 Sovereign features the Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria. Presented in Brilliant Uncirculated with proof-like mirror surfaces. Under the glass, we observe the kiss-curl in front of the ear.

65602-49059-1887-Shield-Sovereign-REV-TECH-February-2024

The mintmark 'M' rests at the base of the shield indicating that the sovereign was struck at the Melbourne Mint. Superb edges and proof-like mirror fields.

There are some key indicators that collectors look out for when making a numismatic purchase. And all of this is weighed up against the price.

The date is critical. The more important the date, the better. How rare is the coin for the rarer the better. And finally, what about its quality?

This Brilliant Uncirculated 1887 Sovereign has the lot!

An important date.

The Queen Victoria Young Head portrait appeared on Australia's sovereigns between 1871 and 1887. Likewise the Shield design, 1871 to 1887.

The importance of this coin is clear. It marks the end of the era that produced Australia's Young Head Shield Sovereigns.

It is an acknowledged fact that collectors prefer the first and last year of a series over and above all others. The first year and the last year are defining. Those in between are not.

How rare is the coin?

Throughout Australia’s history, upheavals and extraordinary events have impacted on mintages and created numismatic super-stars. Think 1930 Penny. Think 1920 Florin. And think 1887 Shield Sovereign.

The Melbourne Mint was awash with options in the striking of its sovereigns in 1887 with two reverse designs available to them, that of St George and the Dragon and the Shield. And two obverse designs depicting Queen Victoria, the Young Head portrait and the Jubilee portrait, introduced in mid-1887.

It was inevitable that amidst the chaos a numismatic super-star would emerge.

And it has in the form of this coin, the 1887 Sovereign featuring the Young Head portrait of Queen Victoria and the Shield reverse. it is one of the key dates of the series and a world class rarity.

History confirms the extreme rarity of the Melbourne Mint's 1887 Young Head Shield Sovereign (1887M).

Noble Numismatics is Australia’s largest Auction House holding three auctions annually each comprised of about 3000 lots.

Their auctions provide a plethora of invaluable information on prices realised and importantly, the frequency of sightings ... how often a coin can realistically be expected to appear on the market.

We note that:

• Only three Uncirculated 1887M Young Head Shield Sovereigns have been offered at Nobles over the last ten years!

• The most recent sale was in 2019 for $21,500. The pre-auction estimate was $12,500. And the coin on offer here is the finest and is far superior.

• Confirming the rarity of the 1887M across all quality levels, on average just one 1887 Melbourne Mint Young Head Shield Sovereign is offered at Nobles annually.


75531-Proof-1924-Florin-and-Shilling-Pair-November-2023
COIN
Brilliantly matched 1924 Proof Florin and 1924 Proof Shilling, both coins struck at the Melbourne Mint during the reign of George V and the tenure of Albert Le Souef as Deputy Master of the Mint.
PRICE
$50,000
STATUS
SOLD 5 FEBRUARY 2024
QUALITY
• 1924 Proof Florin, FDC the reverse with brilliant fields, solid striations and stunning golden toning. The obverse a matte finish. • 1924 Proof Shilling, FDC the reverse with brilliant fields, solid striations and stunning golden toning. The obverse a matte finish.
PROVENANCE
• 1924 Proof Florin Nobles Auction August 2001 lot 1433 selling for $18,640 on a pre-sale estimate of $15,000, Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins. • 1924 Proof Shilling Nobles Auction March 1991 lot 1392 selling for $5300 on a pre-sale estimate of $3000, Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins.
COMMENTS
One George V silver proof coin is a numismatic prize. A pair of George V silver proofs, such as the coins shown above, is numismatic bliss. The reason is simply that George V Silver Proofs are excruciatingly rare and are hotly contested whenever they appear on the market. Ask collectors why they pursue proof coins over circulating currency and the prestige of owning a proof coin is most likely at the top of their list. It's the euphoria that comes with owning something that very few other people can ever possess. An excitement that the owner of the Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins experienced when he acquired this perfectly matched Proof 1924 Florin and Proof 1924 Shilling. The 1924 Proof Florin was struck as a Coin of Record at the Melbourne Mint and only four others are known. The 1924 Proof Shilling, also a Coin of Record and two others are known. Given their extreme rarity, it is more than likely that this pair is unique.
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75531-c-Proof-1924-Shilling-REV-TECH-January-2024

1924 Proof Shilling, brilliant reverse fields, solid striations reflecting careful preparation of the dies and magnificent golden toning

75531-c-Proof-1924-Shilling-OBV-TECH-January-2024

1924 Proof Shilling, featuring the portrait of King George V (1910 - 1936).


75531-c-Proof-1924-Florin-REV-TECH-November-2023

1924 Proof Florin, brilliant reverse fields, solid striations reflecting careful preparation of the dies and magnificent golden toning

75531-c-Proof-1924-Florin-OBV-TECH-January-2024

1924 Proof Florin, featuring the portrait of King George V (1910 - 1936).


This Proof 1924 Florin and Proof 1924 Shilling were not struck for collectors as part of any mass-marketing sales campaign. They were 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 them as 'Coins of Record'. Australian Pre-decimal Coins that were struck as proofs - but not destined for collectors.

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.

 

 


76693-1813-1805-Holey-Dollar-Mexico-Mint-OBV-December-2023
76693-1813-1805-Holey-Dollar-Mexico-Mint-REV-December-2023
COIN
1813 Holey Dollar struck from an 1805 Mexico Mint Spanish Silver Dollar
PRICE
$265,000
STATUS
Available now
QUALITY
Good Very Fine with counter-stamps Extremely Fine, this is an impactful coin with lustrous glossy fields.
PROVENANCE
Ray Jewell Collection • Kreisberg-Schulman Auction New York 1966 • John Ahbe Collection sold Spink-Stern Auction Melbourne November 1975 • Osborne Collection sold Nobles Auction July 1993 • Officially documented in the pictorial record, 'The Holey Dollars of New South Wales' on page 51 as reference 1805/7.
COMMENTS
This is a Holey Dollar for the serious collector. It is a prized piece. A coin that you, and your family, will treasure and be eager to show around. And if you don't want to show the coin around, then you can at the very least show the book in which it was officially photographed and recorded, 'The Holey Dollars of NSW' by Messrs Noble and Mira, page 51. This Holey Dollar has glorious detail in the counter stamps 'New South Wales' and '1813', the application of which by William Henshall defined it as our very first Australian coin. This Holey Dollar also has glorious detail in the original Spanish Dollar and is one of the few surviving examples to show the complete monarch’s eye and nose. Knowing its former owner, Ray Jewell, and his preference for quality we have no doubt the aesthetics were the prime reason Jewell acquired the piece, for the eye and the nose were almost always obliterated by William Henshall when he punched out the hole. In the top fifteen per cent quality-wise, the technical shots re-affirm the quality and eye appeal of this fabulous Holey Dollar.
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And while we have given considerable attention to Ray Jewell, let's not forget that renowned collectors Ahbe and Osborne were also former owners of this piece.

When William Henshall created this Holey Dollar in 1813, he grabbed an 1805 Spanish Silver Dollar that had been struck at the Mexico Mint.

If William Henshall had been a numismatist he would have acknowledged that the 1805 Spanish Silver Dollar that he was about to deface showed minimal signs of wear. Given that he was holding the world's greatest trading coin, that in itself was a miracle.

Committed to the task of creating holey dollars from silver dollars, he cut a hole in the dollar and 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, thereby creating this 1813 Holey Dollar.

The original 1805 Spanish Silver Dollar used to create this Holey Dollar is graded in the premium quality level of Good Very Fine indicating that it underwent slight circulation before the hole was cut into it in 1813.

The extent of usage of the Holey Dollar after it was released into circulation is evidenced by the wear to the counter-stamps, the over-stamping around the inner circular edge … New South Wales, 1813 and Five Shillings.

The counter-stamps of this Holey Dollar are graded in the premium quality levels of Extremely Fine indicating that as a Holey Dollar this coin also underwent minimal circulation.

The Holey Dollar is one of Australia’s most desirable coins.

The status of the Holey Dollar as Australia’s first coin ensures that it will never be forgotten and, as time passes, its historical value can only increase.

Talk to those fortunate enough to own one, either private collectors or institutions such as Macquarie Bank, National Museum of Australia and the Mitchell Library, and they will tell you that the Holey Dollar is viewed as the jewel in their collection. And that statement is made irrespective of the quality.

The coin is rare. And the coin is steeped in history. And yet it is refreshingly current. The ingenuity of Governor Lachlan Macquarie in creating our first coin is reflected in the naming of the Macquarie Bank and the bank’s ultimate adoption of the Holey Dollar as its logo.

The pleasure of owning a Holey Dollar is indefinable. The pleasure is heightened when you open one of the leading Holey Dollar reference books, "The Holey Dollars of New South Wales" and see the coin featured and photographed on page 51. A copy of the book will accompany the sale.

76693-1813-1805-Holey-Dollar-Mexico-Mint-OBV-TECH-December-2023

This Holey Dollar is impactful, the monarch's eye and nose totally visible, an aspect of the design that was almost always obliterated by mint master William Henshall when he smashed out the hole.

76693-1813-1805-Holey-Dollar-Mexico-Mint-REV-TECH-December-2023

A premium quality 1813 Holey Dollar, the former property of renowned collectors, Jewell, Ahbe and Osborne. 

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76694-1947-Proof-Penny-REV-December-2023
76694-1947-Proof-Penny-OBV-December-2023
COIN
1947 Proof Penny struck as a Coin of Record at the Perth Mint
PRICE
$45,000
STATUS
SOLD 24 JANUARY 2024
QUALITY
A superb FDC brilliant violet-red proof and the finest known
PROVENANCE
Nobles Auction, Sydney, March 1996
COMMENTS
There are some coins that can only be described as extraordinary. The state in which they are presented is so impactful, they make a lasting impression and are never forgotten. Nor can you forget the occasion when they were first sighted. And so it is with this Proof 1947 Penny. The quality is absolutely stunning, highly reflective violet-red fields, the coin simply glows. And the occasion .... Nobles Sydney Auction March 1996, the coin selling for $6600 on a pre-sale estimate of $3000. The photographs confirm its extraordinary condition. And we can confirm its rarity. We have only ever handled two other 1947 Proof Pennies, this coin the finest by far.
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76694-1947-Proof-Penny-OBV-December-2023
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The rarity of the 1947 Proof Penny was confirmed in 1995 in an article published in the NAA journal (Volume 8) by John Sharples, the then Curator of Australia’s Numismatic Archives.

He examined the distribution of proof coins recorded in Perth Mint communications and records over the period 1940 – 1954. He found evidence that nineteen proof pennies were struck at the Perth Mint in 1947.

He noted that two private collectors (most likely Syd Hagley and Ray Jewell) received examples of the pre-1955 proof coins, such was the influence of these collectors.

The balance of the mintage, however, was destined for the mint's own archives with the majority sent to Public Collections and Numismatic Societies.

The official list authorised to receive Perth proofs were the Australian War Memorial, Royal Mint London, British Museum, Royal Mint Melbourne, Japan Mint, National Gallery SA, Art Gallery WA, National Gallery Victoria, Victorian Numismatic Society, South Australian Numismatic Society and the Australian Numismatic Society.

That the bulk of the mintage was gifted to institutions is the very reason why they are so rare in today's collector market. We might sight a Proof 1947 Penny on the market every three to four years.

One as spectacular as this is a once-in-a-lifetime buying opportunity.

Apart from its extreme rarity, we offer four sound reasons why this 1947 Proof Penny is a must-have for today's collector.

1. Brilliantly preserved proof coins of the Perth Mint are unrivalled for quality.

The coins not only display superb levels of detail in their design, but qualities and colours that are unmatched by those of the Melbourne Mint. Each coin is a work of art, as individual, and as beautiful, as an opal. This 1947 Proof Penny is magnificent.

2. Proof coins have a wonderful connection to the past.

They are the story tellers, defining an era, or a year, like no other coin. Proofs can also define an occasion. And a monarch. And they tend to have a connection to a prominent person, either a dignitary, a Mint Master or an influential collector.

3. Collectors are all but guaranteed that the market will never be flooded with examples.

The Perth Mint Proof Record Pieces is a sector of the rare coin market that offers financial stability and has been the hunting ground of investors for decades. The sector also has strength because it has widespread support amongst the Australian dealer market.

4. The Perth Mint is still operating.

That the Perth Mint is a leading coin producer makes their pre-decimal proofs historical. But also vibrantly current. So the ‘Perth Mint’ message always remains strong, underpinning future interest.


History of the Perth Mint

The discovery of vast gold fields in Coolgardie in 1892 and Kalgoorlie in 1893 triggered a Gold Rush in Western Australia and convinced the British Government to authorise the opening of a mint in Perth.

It was the third branch of the Royal Mint London opened in Australia following the establishment of the Sydney Mint in 1855 and the Melbourne Mint in 1872.

The Perth Mint was established in 1899 and remained a gold producing mint from the year of its opening until 1931 when Australia struck its last sovereign.

For nine years, the coining presses at the Perth Mint ground to a halt. Then early in November 1940, the Australian Government requested Perth to undertake the coining of Australia’s bronze pennies and halfpennies.

The Melbourne Mint had been called upon to do munitions work during World War II and assistance was sought from the Perth Mint to meet Australia’s currency requirements.

The Perth Mint continued to strike copper coins until 1964, when two years later Australia converted to decimal currency.

Established as a branch of the Royal Mint London, the Perth Mint adopted the practices of its master and struck proofs of those coins being struck for circulation.

In accordance with minting traditions the Perth Mint struck proof record pieces of those coins being struck for circulation. There was no hint of commercialism in the production of these pieces.

Posterity, the preservation of Australia’s coining heritage … that and a passion for numismatics were the driving forces behind their striking. The collector market per se was denied access to the coins.

When the Perth Mint struck a proof penny, its intention was to create a single, copper masterpiece. Coining perfection. Perfection in the dies. Wire brushed so that they were 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 canvas. A proof coin was never intended to be used in every-day use, tucked away in a purse. Or popped into a pocket.

Proof coins were struck to be preserved in the mint's archives as a record of Australia’s coining history, time-capsuled for future generations. Proof coins were also used to showcase a mint’s coining skills, to display at major worldwide Exhibitions or sent to other mint’s and public institutions.

The rarity of the Perth Mint proofs was confirmed in 1995 in an article published in the NAA journal (Volume 8) by John Sharples, the then Curator of Australia’s Numismatic Archives. He examined the distribution of proof coins recorded in Perth Mint communications and records over the period 1940 – 1954. He noted that two private collectors (most likely Syd Hagley and Ray Jewell) received examples of the pre-1955 proof coins, such was the influence of these collectors.

The balance of the mintage, however, was destined for the mint's own archives with the majority sent to Public Collections and Numismatic Societies. The official list authorised to receive Perth proofs were the Australian War Memorial, Royal Mint London, British Museum, Royal Mint Melbourne, Japan Mint, National Gallery SA, Art Gallery WA, National Gallery Victoria, Victorian Numismatic Society, South Australian Numismatic Society and the Australian Numismatic Society.

That the bulk of the mintage was gifted to institutions is the very reason why they are so rare in today's collector market.


76692-1860-Aborigine-3p-REV-December-2023
76692-1860-Aborigine-3p-OBV-December-2023
COIN
The Sir Marcus Clark Aborigine Threepence created by colonial silversmiths Julius Hogarth and Conrad Erichsen in 1860.
PRICE
$95,000
STATUS
SOLD 29 JANUARY 2024
QUALITY
Struck in silver and presented in mint state, with proof-like surfaces.
PROVENANCE
Sir Marcus Clark KBE, sold by James R. Lawson Auctioneers 1954 • Exhibited, 'The Dollars & Dumps' Exhibition ANZ Gothic Bank Melbourne, 2007.
COMMENTS
The Sir Marcus Clark 1860 Aborigine Threepence is unequivocally an Australian Numismatic Treasure and has been held by some of Australia’s leading coin dealers and collectors. Its reputation was firmly established in 1954 when it appeared at James Lawson’s Auctions in the sale of the collection of the late Sir Marcus Clarke, KBE. The earliest numismatic depiction of an Indigenous Australian, the quality was extraordinary, a superb mint-state, the piece selling 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.
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76692-1860-Aborigine-3p-OBV-December-2023
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We have always held the 1860 Aborigine Threepence in the highest regard.

It is the earliest numismatic depiction of an Aboriginal Australian and is a piece of cultural significance. And of tremendous national significance.

Furthermore, it is rare. Only seven other pieces are known.

The Marcus Clark Aborigine Threepence is in a class all on its own as it is the absolute finest example of the Aborigine Threepence, in mint-state and proof-like.

The first public appearance of this Aborigine Threepence occurred in July 1954 when James R. Lawson Auctioneers sold the collection of the late Sir Marcus Clark KBE. His 1860 Aborigine Threepence was placed in the sale alongside his Holey Dollar and Dump, such was the respect with which it was held.

Selling for £38, the Aborigine Threepence fetched more than twice that of Clark's Extremely Fine Dump that sold for £18. (The Dump is today held with a Coinworks client residing in Perth and is valued in excess of $100,000.)

At £38, the Aborigine Threepence fetched nearly double that of Clark's Extremely Fine 1852 Adelaide Pound Cracked Die (£20) which today would be valued at $150,000-plus.

The potential of the Aborigine Threepence is further highlighted by the realisation of Sir Marcus Clark's Ferdinand VII Holey Dollar in the same 1954 Lawson Auction. Struck on an 1809 Ferdinand VII Spanish Silver Dollar, the coin sold for £72. (That very same coin was sold by Coinworks in 2018 for $440,000.)

Marcus Clark's Aborigine Threepence was auctioned again twenty seven years later, and in a fiercely contested bidding war, sold for $23,000 on a pre-auction estimate of $12,500.

The 1860 Aborigine Threepence was minted by jewellers Julius Hogarth and Conrad Erichsen. Scandinavian citizens, Hogarth was a sculptor and silversmith. Erichsen an engraver.

Both migrated to Australia to make their fortunes on the gold fields reaching Sydney on 11 December 1852. Failing to realise their ambitions, they utilised their skills and went into partnership as silversmiths opening their first enterprise at 255 George Street Sydney.

The firm quickly gained a reputation in the development of ‘Australiana’ themed decoration on metalwork and jewellery, which actively promoted the use of indigenous Australian floral and faunal elements and indigenous figures.

Hogarth & Erichsen achieved great success during the 1850s notably through the vice-regal patronage of Governors Young and Denison.

The works of Hogarth and Erichsen are revered and are held by the following institutions, to name but a few.
•    The National Library of Australia, Canberra
•    The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
•    The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
•    The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

Hogarth & Erichsen were numismatic trailblazers when in 1860 they created the Aborigine Threepence.

It would be another one hundred and twenty-eight years before Australia would acknowledge the contribution of Aboriginal Australians to our society when a portrait of a tribal elder appeared on the nation's Two Dollar coins created especially for the Bicentenary in 1988.


50976-Proof-1896-Half-Sovereign-Rev-June-2022
50976-Proof-1896-Half-Sovereign-Obv-June-2022
COIN
1896 Proof Half Sovereign struck as a Presentation Piece at the Melbourne Mint, and one of only three known.
PRICE
$85,000
STATUS
SOLD 12/2/24
QUALITY
Gem frosted proof, FDC and excessively rare.
PROVENANCE
Sale by Private Treaty 1995 • Nobles Auction July 2017 Lot 1350.
COMMENTS
This gem frosted 1896 Proof Half Sovereign is excessively rare. One of only three known. The coin was rapturously received at its first and only auction appearance in 2017, selling for more than twice its pre-sale estimate. The strong bidding was attributed to its superb quality. And its extreme scarcity for an 1896 Proof Half Sovereign had not been seen on the market since 1998. Local buyers have always had confidence in this sector of the market simply because of the quality and extreme rarity of the coins. But another layer of confidence has been added to the market. In 2021, international collectors began buying up Australia’s proof sovereigns and half sovereigns outbidding local collectors. And in 2022 and 2023, they have continued their buying spree. Demand has increased. And supplies are still as restricted as ever. This is the perfect climate for long term price growth. The technical shots, in READ MORE, confirm the glorious state of this coin!
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50976-Proof-1896-Half-Sovereign-Obv-June-2022
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50976-1896-Half-Sovereign-Rev-TECH-October-2022
50976-1896-Half-Sovereign-Obv-TECH-October-2022

There is a 'wish-list' of key indicators that collectors look for in numismatic investment, they being rarity, widespread appeal and supreme proof quality. And this 1896 Proof Half Sovereign has the lot!

The coin is extremely rare.

This 1896 Proof Half Sovereign was acquired by private treaty in 1995 and made its first auction appearance in 2017. Only two other examples are known and both were offered at auction in the 1980s. One of the two re-appeared at auction in 1988: the other in 1998. Neither have been sighted since.

Such sporadic offerings reflect the rarity of Australia’s pre-decimal proof gold half sovereigns; an area of the Australian coin market that is acknowledged as its rarest and its most prestigious.

Widespread appeal.

Proof coins are prestigious. They inspire respect and admiration. Ask collectors why they pursue proof coins over circulating currency and the prestige of owning a proof coin is most likely at the top of their list. It's the euphoria that comes with owning something that very few other people can ever possess.

Proof coins are by definition, extremely rare and their scarcity is a natural draw card. In some respect, proof coin collectors are playing it smart because the inherent rarity of proof coinage provides a level of assurance that the market will never be inundated with examples, protecting their investment.

The rarity of Australia's proof sovereigns and half sovereigns is acknowledged worldwide and has instigated a strong reaction from buyers at several recent overseas auctions.

The Sincona Auction held in Zurich, November 2021, was a watershed moment for collectors of Australian proof gold sovereigns and proof gold half sovereigns. Two veiled head proof sovereigns, 1898 and 1901, sold for an equivalent of $100,000 and $190,000, the latter a rarer Perth Mint striking. While some collectors shook their heads in disbelief, we were elated that the coins are now commanding the respect - and the prices - that they deserve.

The momentum continued at Heritage Auctions in April 2022 where an 1855 and an 1856 proof sovereign, sold for record auction prices. And again in Zurich at the Sincona Auction in 2023.

Supreme proof quality.

In 2017, Noble Auctions described this coin as 'Gem Frosted Proof, FDC and excessively rare'. And so have we. This 1896 Proof Half Sovereign is a masterpiece of coining skills.


76695-1855-Sovereign-aUNC-OBV-December-2023
76695-1855-Sovereign-aUNC-REV-December-2023
COIN
1855 Sydney Mint Sovereign, a lustrous example of Australia's very first sovereign
STATUS
COMING IN 2024
QUALITY
About Uncirculated
PROVENANCE
Private Collection Victoria
COMMENTS
The 1855 Sydney Mint Sovereign is Australia’s very first official gold coinage. It is our first sovereign struck at the nation's very first mint and for collectors, the coin ranks as our most important and our most popular sovereign. It is scarce in any quality but in the supreme quality of About Uncirculated, the 1855 Sydney Mint Sovereign is of the highest rarity. We would be lucky to sight one example on the market annually. Technical shots are provided.
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76695-1855-Sovereign-aUNC-REV-December-2023
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76695-1855-Sovereign-aUNC-OBV-TECH-December-2023

The 1855 Sydney Mint Sovereign featuring a filleted bust of Queen Victoria designed by James Wyon. The coin is the nation's first sovereign and the first coin of the realm minted at an overseas branch of the Royal Mint London. The portrait only ran for two years, 1855 and 1856.

76695-1855-Sovereign-aUNC-REV-TECH-December-2023

The 1855 Sydney Mint Sovereign reverse designed by L. C. Wyon was based loosely around contemporary reverse designs of the British Sixpence and Shilling. Its strong point of difference to the British coins, the inclusion of the words 'AUSTRALIA' AND 'SYDNEY MINT'. The design lasted until 1870.   


1852-Adelaide-Pound-Cracked-Die-Rev-July-2020
1852-Adelaide-Pound-Cracked-Die-Obv-July-2020
COIN
The extremely rare 1852 Adelaide Pound Type I.
STATUS
COMING IN 2024
QUALITY
Uncirculated with highly lustrous surfaces on both obverse and reverse and one of only three known at this supreme quality level
PROVENANCE
The Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins
COMMENTS
The miracle that is numismatics. This coin is a prized piece and has everything a collector could ask for. Supreme quality. Extreme rarity. Respected pedigree. And the ultimate historical standing. The 1852 Type I Adelaide Pound, better known as the Cracked Die Adelaide Pound, has an exalted position in Australia’s currency history as the nation’s first gold coin. Furthermore it was minted in the very first production run of Adelaide Pounds. What we know today is that forty Cracked Die Adelaide Pounds are in collector’s hands and most of them have circulated with more than fifty per cent heavily circulated. The reality is that of the forty known Cracked Dies, only three are Uncirculated and this coin is one of the three, formerly part of the Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins.
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1852-Adelaide-Pound-Cracked-Die-Obv-July-2020
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29758-1852-Adelaide-Pound-Type-1-Unc-OBV-TECH-October-2023

Uncirculated 1852 Adelaide Pound Type I, one of three known at this supreme quality level. 

29758-1852-Adelaide-Pound-Type-1-Unc-REV-TECH-October-2023

Uncirculated 1852 Adelaide Pound Type I, one of three known at this supreme quality level. 


71423-Proof-1956-Penny-Rev-July-2023
71423-Proof-1956-Penny-Obv-July-2023
COIN
Proof 1956 Penny struck at the Perth Mint and featuring the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II
PRICE
$22,000
STATUS
Available now
QUALITY
Full blazing copper, a superb Gem FDC
PROVENANCE
The Collection of Kevin Tierney
COMMENTS
This Proof 1956 Penny is intensely beautiful. The strike is highly detailed, the coin brilliantly preserved showing full copper brilliance. A Perth Mint copper proof out of this era, and in such a heady quality, could only have come from one source. Melbourne Collector Kevin Tierney. Kevin is an expert on Australian proof coinage, a passionate and very knowledgeable collector. He acquired his proofs in America, in the 1980s, while he was residing overseas. Australian coins bought in the US? Now, while that may come as a surprise to many readers, it is a further endorsement on the quality of these coins. The Perth Mint had developed a large export market for its early commercial proofs, US collectors its prime target. And it is acknowledged that the quality of those coins sold into the US were far superior to those sold locally.
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71423-Proof-1956-Penny-Obv-July-2023
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There are some key indicators that collectors look out for when making a numismatic purchase. And all of this is weighed up against the price.

How rare is the coin for the rarer the better. The date is critical. The more important the date, the better. And consideration will now be given to the effigy. George V? George VI or Elizabeth II? How popular is this area of the market. In a supply and demand market, popularity is important. And finally, what about its quality?

This pair of Proof 1956 Penny has the lot!

An important date. The second lowest mintage of the series.

For collectors, the year 1955 is a key date. And a rare date. It was the first year the Perth Mint kicked off a program to strike proofs in 'commercial quantities' and sell to collectors. Similar to what the Royal Australian Mint does today with its annual proof coining program. The mintage of the first year, 1955, was 301.

The second year of the series, 1956,  also comes in for an inordinate level of attention for it too is a rare date. The Perth Mint struck only 417 coins!

After two years the series really took off and mintages increased to around the 1000 level making the 1955 and 1956 coins the pick of the lot.

The coins were sold for a premium of two shillings above face value, the face value paid to Treasury and the premium went to the mint. Government placed only one restriction on the Perth Mint. They could only produce proof examples of those coins they were minting for circulation. For the Perth Mint that meant striking proof coppers only.

The series continued for another eight years, ceasing in 1963 just prior to decimal changeover.

An important effigy. The events of the past week, the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, has highlighted the role of coinage in charting the course of history.

This Proof 1955 Penny and Proof 1955 Halfpenny were struck with the effigy of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Extremely rare. That the Perth Mint was permitted to strike 'commercial quantities' of proof coins may have some readers thinking 50,000? 10,000? Perhaps 5000?

The mintage of the Proof 1956 Penny was 417 coins only.

Natural attrition has taken it toll on the original mintage for the coins were not encased in fancy packaging but housed only in small cellophane holders and despatched to collectors in an envelope. Many of the coins have filtered their way into circulation. Others severely damaged through mishandling making an already small mintage even smaller.

Supreme proof quality. There is a perception amongst collectors new to the market that all proofs are created equal. And therefore should be valued the same. The notion is that because a coin is struck to proof quality it has to be good. Those perceptions are incorrect.

Evidence suggests that those proofs that made their way to the US market in the 1950s and 1960s were superior in quality to those released to the local market.

Correct handling and storage is also a critical issue to preserving the value of proof coins. And these coins have been brilliantly preserved.

In an article published in the Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia 2005, renowned numismatist Paul Holland contends that the Perth Mint proofs were created for unaided vision, the point here that a collector would not need an eye-glass to take in their beauty. Looking at this Proof 1956 Penny, you can only but agree!

He contends that the Perth Mint modeled their bronze proofs on the Royal Mint London’s 1951-PL proofs, for they, as a general rule, are stunning. Visually impactful. He also comments that the Perth Mint went the extra yards with their production and ground the rims by hand to ensure they were high and squared-off.

A popular series. The series of Perth Mint Proof Coins struck between 1955 and 1963 is an important series in our numismatic history: a catalyst for the introduction of the proof coining program introduced by the Royal Australian Mint, Canberra in 1966.

It also is an affordable one, making it one of the most popular collecting series in the Australian coin market.

That the Perth Mint is today a leading coin producer makes their pre-decimal proofs historical. But also vibrantly current. So the ‘Perth Mint’ message always remains strong, underpinning future interest.

And the fact that these coins bears the effigy of the late Queen, Elizabeth II, will be a huge boost to their popularity.

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71408-1813-Dump-AEF-Rev-July-2023
71408-1813-Dump-AEF-Obv-July-2023.jpg
COIN
1813 Dump, struck with the Type A/1 dies
PRICE
$40,000
STATUS
SOLD 27/1/2024
QUALITY
About Extremely Fine
PROVENANCE
Private Collection Perth
COMMENTS
When you look at the photo of this Dump, the coin 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 eight per cent. Over and above its quality ranking this coin has attributes that are highly prized, 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 there is the dot above the ‘3’ in the date 1813. There is additional information below that expands on our introductory comments.
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71408-1813-Dump-AEF-Obv-July-2023.jpg
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This is an extremely rare, high quality 1813 Dump.

1. Superior quality, in the top eight per cent

The 1813 Dump circulated widely in the colony, the extreme wear on most Dumps evidence of its extensive use. The average quality Dump is graded at Fine to Good Fine, with this coin five to six grades higher at About Extremely Fine.

We rate it in the top eight per cent of surviving examples. The coin has obviously been cherished for it has been brilliantly preserved with beautiful pale charcoal toning and highly reflective fields.

2. A coin to enjoy and show around

Struck with the A/1 dies, the crown is classically well-centred. The design details are chunky, strongly three-dimensional ... and by this we are referring to the crown with its fleur-de-lis and pearls, the legend New South Wales, the date 1813 and on the reverse, the value Fifteen Pence.

3. Henshall's claim to fame - the elusive 'H'

William Henshall declared his involvement in the creation of the Dump by inserting an 'H' into some (but not all) of the dies used during its striking. Its presence is highly prized whenever it is appears.

This Dump clearly shows the ‘H’ for Henshall between the 'FIFTEEN' and the 'PENCE' on the reverse.

4. Oblique milling

Notice the oblique milling around the edge. It is fully evident. (The edge milling was used as deterrent against clipping whereby the unscrupulous shaved off slivers of silver, reducing the silver content of the Dump. And making a small profit on the side.)

5. The 'dot' above the '3'

This Dump shows a 'dot' above the '3' in the date '1813'. This is almost certainly due to a pit in the die and only occurs in those coins struck with the type A/1 dies. And even then it is identified in very few type A/1 examples.

6. Evidence of the original Spanish Dollar design, an aspect that really counts

While the Holey Dollar clearly shows that it is one coin struck from another, in a less obvious way so too can the Dump. The design detail of the original Spanish Dollar from which this Dump was created is evident on the reverse. We refer to it as the under-type and it is not always present. Its existence re-affirms the origins of the Dump and is highly prized.

The under-type is particularly strong on this 1813 Dump and surrounds the words 'FIFTEEN PENCE'.


Governor Lachlan Macquarie enlisted the services of emancipated convict, William Henshall, to cut a hole in 40,000 Spanish Silver Dollars, creating two coins out of one.

The Dump, the small disc that fell out of the centre of the holed silver dollar, was then over stamped with the date 1813, a crown, New South Wales and the value of fifteen pence.

The buyer that pursues a top-quality Dump will find the task extremely challenging. It can be years before a premium quality example comes onto the market.

The Dump circulated widely in the colony, the extreme wear on most Dumps evidence that they saw considerable use. So, while the Dump may seem the diminutive partner of the Holey Dollar, the reality is "top quality" Dumps have authority.

So let's define the words "top quality" and establish the levels that are rarely seen.

Every circulated coin has a grading level at which serious rarity kicks in. That is the point at which the balance between acquiring a coin as a collectible - and as an investment - shifts more towards the latter. For the 1813 Colonial Dump that point is Good Very Fine. (This coin.)

The chart below clearly shows that securing a Colonial Dump in a quality level of Good Very Fine or better is a difficult task. We would sight an About Extremely Fine on the open market perhaps once or twice every year.

1813-Dump-Chart-AEF-September-2023
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75954-Banner-2-1930-Proof-Sovereign-REV-November-2023
75954-Banner-3-1930-Proof-Sovereign-OBV-November-2023
COIN
1930 Proof Sovereign struck as a Presentation Piece at the Melbourne Mint and one of two known.
PRICE
$125,000
STATUS
SOLD 4/12/2023
QUALITY
Gem FDC
PROVENANCE
Sale by Private Treaty Monetarium Sydney 1990, Private Collection Perth.
COMMENTS
This 1930 Proof Sovereign was struck at the Melbourne Mint as a Presentation Piece and is exceedingly rare. Only one other example has surfaced over the last century. 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 portrait design and a different date, might pop up tomorrow is almost non-existent for the entire George V sector (1911 to 1931) is represented by about ten proof coins. (See below for more information on their extreme scarcity.) This 1930 Proof Sovereign is a coin for the ages. The date 1930, the year of the Great Depression, ensures that it will always be relevant. And will always be sought after on a world-wide scale. Its superb quality and extreme rarity also ensures its relevance and its appeal.
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The proofs of George V are one of the rarest of Australia's proof gold sector.

While circulating sovereign production was prolific during the George V period (1911 to 1931), it is on record that the mints were absolutely miserly in the production of proof coinage.

Proof coins were struck in only six of those twenty-one years, 1911, 1914, 1920, 1929, 1930 and 1931. The known examples of each year is either one or two with that dated 1914 never having been sighted. Do the math. Collectors looking for a George V proof sovereign have a total buying pool of about ten coins. We might see one example every five years.

• 1911 - known by one example struck at the Melbourne Mint, last appearing at auction in 1985. Sydney and Perth did not strike proofs in 1911.

• 1914 - said to have been struck at the Sydney Mint but has never been sighted. Melbourne and Perth did not strike proofs in 1914.

• 1920 - known by one example struck at the Sydney Mint, valued today in excess of one million dollars. Melbourne and Perth did not strike proofs in 1920.

• 1929 - known by two examples struck at the Melbourne Mint. One example last seen on the market in 1998, another coin known to exist. The Perth Mint did not strike proofs in 1929. Sydney Mint was closed.

1930 - known by two examples struck at the Melbourne Mint, this  coin. And another slightly impaired example that appeared at auction in 1988. The Perth Mint did not strike proofs in 1930.

1931 - the Melbourne Mint and the Perth Mint produced proof coins in 1931. Two of each are known.

75954-1930-Proof-Sovereign-Rev-October-2023

Exquisite 1930 Proof Sovereign, the reverse designed by Benedetto Pistrucci.

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Exquisite 1930 Proof Sovereign featuring the portrait of King George V.


75954-1930-Proof-Sovereign-REV-TECH-Blue-November-2023

The 1930 Proof Sovereign, a key-date and stunningly beautiful.

75954-1930-Proof-Sovereign-OBV-TECH-Blue-November-2023

The obverse portrait also designed by Sir E B MacKennall.


There is a 'wish-list' of key indicators that collectors look for in a top coin • Rarity • An important date • Widespread appeal • Supreme quality. And this 1930 Proof Sovereign has the lot!

An important date. It is an acknowledged fact that collectors pursue key dates, those years that stand out from the rest. And the year '1930' is important .

The rare coin market operates under the principles of supply and demand - limited supply overwhelmed by strong demand. So, maintaining (and strengthening) continuity of demand underpins the market and its price potential.

An important date is a natural draw card that drives demand. It is clear that the main force that drives demand for the 1930 Penny is the date.

Extreme rarity. Known by two examples struck at the Melbourne Mint, this piece and another slightly impaired example that appeared at auction in 1988. The Sydney Mint had closed. The Perth Mint did not strike proofs in 1930.

 

Widespread appeal. Proof coins are prestigious. They inspire respect and admiration. Ask collectors why they pursue proof coins over circulating currency and the prestige of owning a proof coin is most likely at the top of their list. It's the euphoria that comes with owning something that very few other people can ever possess.

Proof coins are by definition, extremely rare and their scarcity is a natural draw card. In some respect, proof coin collectors are playing it smart because the inherent rarity of proof coinage provides a level of assurance that the market will never be inundated with examples, protecting their investment.

The rarity of Australia's proof sovereigns and half sovereigns is acknowledged worldwide and has instigated a strong reaction from buyers at several recent overseas auctions. The Sincona Auction held in 2021 in Zurich, Heritage Auctions in the US in 2022 and again at Sincona in 2023.

Supreme quality. This coin is exquisite as the photographs attest.

 

 

 


14282-1921-Square-Penny-Type-11-REV-April-2023
14282-1921-Square-Penny-Type-11-OBV-April-2023
COIN
1921 Kookbaurra Square Penny design type 11
PRICE
$35,000
STATUS
SOLD 29 JANUARY 2024
QUALITY
Choice Uncirculated with proof-like surfaces, handsome toning and a deeply etched design
COMMENTS
There have been great buying opportunities for collectors and investors in the Kookaburra Coin series over the last twelve months. Buyers have been taking advantage of subdued prices but, as recent auction results attest, competition for the coins is heating up. And prices are set to move. The Kookaburra Square Penny is a classic Australian coin rarity. The coins were struck in 1919, 1920 and 1921 at the Melbourne Mint. This Square Penny was struck in 1921 and has the design type 11. Another design was tested in 1921, known as the type 12. While both types 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. 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.
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For the buyer contemplating a Square Penny purchase, three considerations should be foremost.

The first is the quality. The Square Pennies were test pieces and were not struck under the heady controls of a proof striking. It is also noted that as the coins were passed to the public for opinions and comments, many have been mishandled.

Our comments are as follows.

As described above, this coin is superb for quality. In fact, we checked back through our records and can confirm that we have only ever sold five Choice Uncirculated Type 11s in more than 40-plus years of trading and this coin is one of the five.

The second consideration is the design type. The style of the kookaburra and the style of lettering is critical to assessing the rarity of the coin for while all Square Pennies are rare, some designs are far rarer than others.

Our comments are as follows.

The Melbourne Mint tested two different kookaburra designs in 1921, one featuring a sleek kookaburra sitting on a twig, known as the Type 11. The other a plump bird resting on a branch, known as the Type 12.

The Type 11 Square Pennies are extremely scarce. You would be lucky to sight one coin at auction annually. So if there is a choice between the two, the Type 11 wins hands down every time.

The third consideration is the price. Given its quality assignation of Choice Uncirculated and its rarity, the 1921 Type 11 Square Penny is priced to market at $35,000.

Our comments are as follows.

The Type 11 Kookaburra Penny is being offered at the same price as a circulated 1930 Penny and is far, far scarcer.

In our view, this 1921 Square Penny is the perfect starting point for the buyer keen to acquire a Kookaburra Penny. Optimum quality, extreme rarity but at a price that is attractive.

That currency reflects the mood of a nation – and the agenda of a Government - is never more evident than with the Square Penny and Halfpenny series and its mooted introduction in 1919.

The proposed change was pure politics. With some saying it was the rumblings of a republican movement way ahead of its time, the Labor Government wanting to break away from the traditional British designs of Australia’s then copper penny and halfpenny.

A wave of nationalism was sweeping the country post World War I and the Government saw advantage in tapping into the mood of the nation and introducing a uniquely Australian style into our currency by depicting a laughing kookaburra on our coinage.

Tests commenced at the Melbourne Mint in 1919 and continued until 1921 with the test pieces ultimately passed to dignitaries and Government officials to assess their reaction.

The extreme scarcity of choice quality Square Pennies is connected to the fact that the coins were test pieces and were not struck to the exacting standards of proof coining.

Given to dignitaries to assess their reaction, there was no packaging and we know that not every dignitary was a collector and would have handled them with care. Some of the coins must have been tucked into a fob pocket for they have circulated. Others could have rattled around a top desk drawer. Or passed around to colleagues … introducing multi possibilities of mishandling. 

Public reaction to the introduction of the square coinage was poor. There was widespread public resistance to change, while the elderly rejected the small size of the coins. However, the final decision not to proceed seems to have been based mainly on another consideration – the large number of vending machines then in operation requiring a circular coin.

The kookaburra coins never went into production and Australia lost a great opportunity to go its own way.

But with only the 200 prototypes to show as evidence of the Government’s grand scheme, Australian coinage gained another wonderful coin rarity. 


73461-Banner-Proof-1870-Sovereign-Rev-Tech-September-2023
73461-Banner-Proof-1870-Sovereign-Obv-Tech-September-2023
COIN
The only known example of the 1870 Sydney Mint Proof Sovereign.
PRICE
$350,000
STATUS
SOLD 16/11/2023
QUALITY
Gem FDC
PROVENANCE
John Brodribb Bergne Collection, Sothebys London 26 May 1873 • J Halliburton Young Collection, Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge 7 April 1881 • Montague Collection, Sotheby Wilkinson & Hodge 1896 & 1897 Lot 309 • John Gloag Murdoch Collection, Sotheby 26 July 1903 Lot 619 • Captain Vivian Hewitt Spink 1967 • Baldwin Collection, London • Spink Australia November 1978 Lot 564 • Spink Australia July1981 Lot 989 • Spink Australia July 1988 Lot 2304 • Sale by Private Treaty Barrie Winsor to Downies 1999 • Sale by Private Treaty Coinworks to Madrid Collection of Australian Rare Coins 2000
COMMENTS
Collectors and dealers seek out the unique. And collectors and dealers seek out the exquisite. For Barrie Winsor and for myself, and for all those that have come before us, we found what we were seeking in this 1870 Sydney Mint Proof Sovereign. The coin is a colonial gem. Perfection in gold, exquisite and unequivocally the finest of its kind. The finest and the rarest for this coin is the only known 1870 Sydney Mint Proof Sovereign. Extensive research by Barrie Winsor during a posting in London in the early 1970s confirmed a provenance that dated back to 1873, three years after the coin was struck at the Royal Mint London.
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This 1870 Sydney Mint Proof Sovereign is the only known example of an important date, '1870' the final year that Australia issued sovereigns with the Sydney Mint design.

There are no recorded examples in public institutions, museums and Government archives, both in Australia and overseas. And this includes the Museum of Victoria, the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra, the British Museum and the Royal Mint London, all of which have extensive holdings of Australia’s heritage coins.

The Royal Mint still has the proof dies. And a pair of strikings in tin of the obverse and reverse bearing the legend MODEL/E. They are held at the Royal Mint, Wales

During a posting in London in the 1970s Barrie Winsor established a provenance that dated back to 1873. He also recalls being offered the coin in 1976 by Judith Spiers of Spink for £4000. (Sadly he recalls, he had to decline the offer.)

Our photos have done justice to the coin. It is magnificent.

When the editor of the industry magazine, the Australian Coin Review saw the photos he indicated that the coin would go on the front cover of their forthcoming November issue.  

This gesture has not come at our request. It was simply an acknowledgement by our industry peers that this 1870 Sydney Mint Proof Sovereign represents the very best the Australian rare coin market can offer.

72706-73461-Proof-1870-Sovereign-OBV-August-2023
72706-73461-Proof-1870-Sovereign-REV-August-2023

73461-SQ-Banner-2-Proof-1870-Sovereign-5-Rev-Tech-September-2023

The classic Sydney Mint reverse designed by Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint London, L C Wyon.  'SYDNEY MINT' at top as a curved legend, 'AUSTRALIA' at centre beneath a crown surrounded by a bowed wreath, 'ONE SOVEREIGN' at bottom as a curved legend with plain edge.

73461-SQ-Banner-2-Proof-1870-Sovereign-5-Obv-Tech-September-2023

The obverse portrait also designed by L C Wyon featuring Queen Victoria wearing a wreath of banksia leaves, the queen’s braided hair drawn around and beneath her ear, extending to entwine with the bun at the back of her head.


In 1851, the Sydney Morning Herald published an editorial championing the establishment of a branch of the Royal Mint in Sydney to buy gold at full price and strike it into sovereigns.

The plan for a branch of the Royal Mint received great support from the diggers. Solid opposition came from the banks and a prominent group of private individuals both of whom had become major buyers of gold on the fields at prices discounted well below the full London price. Profits were at stake! Both factions had earlier joined forces to quash a proposal for a Sydney Assay Office that would have also impacted negatively on their commercial interests.

While it is true that New South Wales had in 1851 formally petitioned the home office in London for a branch of the Royal Mint, the decision had already been made in the British Parliament to give the colonies greater autonomy and establish a branch mint to allow them to strike coins of the realm, the sovereign.  

The Sydney Mint would strike sovereigns to exactly the weight and fineness levels at the Royal Mint but they would have their own design. This was to protect the international reputation of the imperial sovereign in the event that Sydney was unable to meet the exacting standards demanded of the coin.

On the 19 August 1853 Queen Victoria gave formal approval to establish Australia’s very first mint at or near Sydney in New South Wales. In the same year, the Royal Mint London prepared designs of Australia’s first gold coinage and manufactured the dies.

The sovereign obverse design was a filleted bust of Victoria, only slightly different to that used on British sovereigns. The obverse quickly fell out of favour and James Wyon was ordered to engrave a new obverse that would be uniquely Australian to easily distinguish the colonial sovereigns from their British counterparts. To this end, a new portrait was introduced in 1857 that featured Queen Victoria with a banksia wreath in her hair instead of the band.

The reverse design was based loosely around contemporary reverse designs of the British sixpence and shilling. Its strong point of difference to the British sovereigns was the inclusion of the words 'Australia' and 'Sydney Mint'.

The use of the word Australia, a fascination with historians. At the time the nation was operating as separate colonies. Australia did not operate under a single Government until Federation in 1901.

The first Deputy Master of the Sydney Mint was Captain Edward Wolstenholme Ward, a trained member of the Royal Engineers.

Ward arrived in the colony in October 1854 on the ship Calcutta, along with other members of the Royal Engineers, a sergeant, three corporals and twelve privates. The group was deposited on Circular Quay with the bales and boxes of Sydney's new mint, along with the dies.

The Sydney Mint was established in a wing of the 'Rum Hospital' in Macquarie Street, Sydney, the mint receiving gold on 14 May 1855 and issuing its first gold sovereign soon after on June 23.

In their infancy the Sydney Mint sovereigns were legal tender only in the colony of New South Wales.

In January 1856, the British tested the quality of the colonial sovereigns and the results showed that they had a higher intrinsic value than their British counterparts, primarily due to their 8.33% silver content. Once these facts became known, profiteers began melting them down.

Also in 1856, the colonial sovereigns became legal tender in Tasmania and Western Australia. South Australia and Victoria were reticent to enshrine the Sydney Mint as Australia's official mint as each colony had independently requested their own and were miffed at missing out.

By 1857, the legal tender scope was widened to include all Australian colonies and Mauritius, Ceylon and Hong Kong. In 1868 the Sydney Mint Sovereigns and Half Sovereigns became legal tender throughout the British Empire.

The design of the Sydney Mint sovereign lasted until 1870 and was the only time the word Australia appeared on our gold sovereigns.

From 1871, Australia's sovereigns took on a traditional British design.


Proof-1952-Penny-Rev-37408-March-2021
Proof-1952-Penny-Obv-37408-March-2021
COIN
Proof 1952 Penny struck as a Coin of Record at the Perth Mint
PRICE
$40,000
STATUS
AVAILABLE NOW
QUALITY
FDC and a brilliant, full original mint red
PROVENANCE
Nobles Auction April 2013, lot 1472
COMMENTS
When this 1952 Proof Penny first appeared on the market at Nobles Auction in 2013, it was described as ‘one of the finest known’. We have handled the three top 1952 Perth Mint proof pennies, and can unequivocally state that this coin is the absolute finest. It is Perth Mint proof coining at its best. An extraordinary coin • dazzling • molten copper • super-reflective fields that are as smooth as glass • polished edges • pristine denticles. This is spectacular quality and rarely seen in Perth Mint proofs of any date. The coin certainly impressed the crowd when it appeared in 2013 at Noble's Auction. Solid bidding took the price from its pre-sale estimate of $20,000 to a final knockdown of $34,000, seventy per cent over the anticipated sale price. While we might sight a Proof 1952 Penny on the market every three to four years this coin, as the finest of its year, is a once in a lifetime buying opportunity. Check out the technical shots below ... this coin is stunning!
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In an article published in the Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia 2005, renowned numismatist Paul Holland contends that the Perth Mint proofs seemed to have been created for unaided vision, the point here being that a collector would not need an eye-glass to take in their beauty.

He also contends that the 1951-PL proofs from the Royal Mint London came to be viewed as the best possible model for what Perth Mint bronze proofs should look like for the PL copper proofs, as a general rule, are stunning. Visually impactful.

When you look at this Proof 1952 Penny you can't help but feel that Holland was spot-on with his assessment.

The rarity of the Proof 1952 Penny was confirmed in 1995 in an article published in the NAA journal (Volume 8) by John Sharples, the then Curator of Australia’s Numismatic Archives.

He examined the distribution of proof coins recorded in Perth Mint communications and records over the period 1940 – 1954. He found evidence that fifteen proof pennies were struck at the Perth Mint in 1952.

He noted that two private collectors (most likely Syd Hagley and Ray Jewell) received examples of the pre-1955 proof coins, such was the influence of these collectors.

The balance of the mintage, however, was destined for the mint's own archives with the majority sent to Public Collections and Numismatic Societies.

The official list authorised to receive Perth proofs were the Australian War Memorial, Royal Mint London, British Museum, Royal Mint Melbourne, Japan Mint, National Gallery SA, Art Gallery WA, National Gallery Victoria, Victorian Numismatic Society, South Australian Numismatic Society and the Australian Numismatic Society.

That the bulk of the mintage was gifted to institutions is the very reason why they are so rare in today's collector market. We might sight a Proof 1952 Penny on the market every three to four years. One as spectacular as this is a once-in-a-lifetime buying opportunity.

37408-Proof-1952-Penny-OBV-TECH-November-2023

Apart from its extreme rarity, we offer four sound reasons why this Proof 1952 Penny is a must-have for today's collector.

1. Brilliantly preserved proof coins of the Perth Mint are unrivalled for quality.

The coins not only display superb levels of detail in their design, but qualities and colours that are unmatched by those of the Melbourne Mint. Each coin is a work of art, as individual, and as beautiful, as an opal. This Proof 1952 Penny looks like molten copper. It is magnificent.

2. Proof coins have a wonderful connection to the past.

They are the story tellers, defining an era, or a year, like no other coin. Proofs can also define an occasion. And a monarch. And they tend to have a connection to a prominent person, either a dignitary, a Mint Master or an influential collector. The Proof 1952 Penny is the last proof penny struck with the portrait of George VI.

3. Collectors are all but guaranteed that the market will never be flooded with examples.

The Perth Mint Proof Record Pieces is a sector of the rare coin market that offers financial stability and has been the hunting ground of investors for decades. The sector also has strength because it has widespread support amongst the Australian dealer market.

4. The Perth Mint is still operating.

That the Perth Mint is a leading coin producer makes their pre-decimal proofs historical. But also vibrantly current. So the ‘Perth Mint’ message always remains strong, underpinning future interest.

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History of the Perth Mint

The discovery of vast gold fields in Coolgardie in 1892 and Kalgoorlie in 1893 triggered a Gold Rush in Western Australia and convinced the British Government to authorise the opening of a mint in Perth.

It was the third branch of the Royal Mint London opened in Australia following the establishment of the Sydney Mint in 1855 and the Melbourne Mint in 1872.

The Perth Mint was established in 1899 and remained a gold producing mint from the year of its opening until 1931 when Australia struck its last sovereign.

For nine years, the coining presses at the Perth Mint ground to a halt. Then early in November 1940, the Australian Government requested Perth to undertake the coining of Australia’s bronze pennies and halfpennies.

The Melbourne Mint had been called upon to do munitions work during World War II and assistance was sought from the Perth Mint to meet Australia’s currency requirements.

The Perth Mint continued to strike copper coins until 1964, when two years later Australia converted to decimal currency.

Established as a branch of the Royal Mint London, the Perth Mint adopted the practices of its master and struck proofs of those coins being struck for circulation.

In accordance with minting traditions the Perth Mint struck proof record pieces of those coins being struck for circulation. There was no hint of commercialism in the production of these pieces.

Posterity, the preservation of Australia’s coining heritage … that and a passion for numismatics were the driving forces behind their striking. The collector market per se was denied access to the coins.

When the Perth Mint struck a proof penny, its intention was to create a single, copper masterpiece. Coining perfection. Perfection in the dies. Wire brushed so that they were 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 canvas. A proof coin was never intended to be used in every-day use, tucked away in a purse. Or popped into a pocket.

Proof coins were struck to be preserved in the mint's archives as a record of Australia’s coining history, time-capsuled for future generations. Proof coins were also used to showcase a mint’s coining skills, to display at major worldwide Exhibitions or sent to other mint’s and public institutions.

The rarity of the Perth Mint proofs was confirmed in 1995 in an article published in the NAA journal (Volume 8) by John Sharples, the then Curator of Australia’s Numismatic Archives. He examined the distribution of proof coins recorded in Perth Mint communications and records over the period 1940 – 1954. He noted that two private collectors (most likely Syd Hagley and Ray Jewell) received examples of the pre-1955 proof coins, such was the influence of these collectors.

The balance of the mintage, however, was destined for the mint's own archives with the majority sent to Public Collections and Numismatic Societies. The official list authorised to receive Perth proofs were the Australian War Memorial, Royal Mint London, British Museum, Royal Mint Melbourne, Japan Mint, National Gallery SA, Art Gallery WA, National Gallery Victoria, Victorian Numismatic Society, South Australian Numismatic Society and the Australian Numismatic Society.

That the bulk of the mintage was gifted to institutions is the very reason why they are so rare in today's collector market.


71322-1930-Penny-Groves-Rev-July-2023
71322-1930-Penny-Groves-Obv-July-2023
COIN
1930 Penny, with handsome toning, the obverse featuring one side of the central diamond and six pearls.
PRICE
$27,500
STATUS
SOLD 13/3/2024
QUALITY
Good Fine / About Very Fine
PROVENANCE
Sale by Coinworks 2018 Private Collector Canberra
COMMENTS
This is a Classic 1930 Penny with a partial central diamond and six plump pearls. And it is priced below $30,000 which makes it the perfect entry point for buyers keen to acquire a nice 1930 Penny. Notice the inner beading in the area between the last 'A' in Australia and the '30' in the date. It is crisp and pristine which is very often NOT the case with 1930 Pennies. (Due to the strike this area can be flat.) We note the toning is even and handsome. Our summary conclusion is that this coin is impressive and you will be proud to show it off to your family and friends. This is an iconic 1930 Penny. The technical photos confirm its positive attributes.
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71322-1930-Penny-Groves-TECH-Rev-July-2023

Strong date, defined upper and lower scrolls, crisp and uniform inner beading and handsome chestnut toning. A 1930 Penny that you will be proud to show your family and friends.

71322-1930-Penny-Groves-TECH-Obv-July-2023

One side of the central diamond and six pearls is just the start. Minimal wear to the eyebrow and moustache. Highly reflective fields and handsome chestnut toning.


Examining a 1930 Penny is a three-point process.

Step 1 is to look at the coin in the flesh using just the naked eye.

A truly great coin will always look good to the unaided eye. And this coin is a beauty!

The reverse has definition in the upper and lower scrolls. The fields are highly reflective with even, handsome chestnut brown toning. And minimal marks in the fields.

The inner beading is crisp and intact, the legend 'COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA' and date '1930' are powerful.

Moving the obverse through the light you observe the strong design details of the monarch's robes and the minimal wear to the king's eyebrow and moustache. We also comment on the highly reflective obverse fields and the handsome chestnut brown toning.

Step 2 is to take up a magnifying glass and examine the coin in detail.

The eye glass re-confirms what we have seen to the naked eye ... and much, much more.

This coin has one side of the central diamond and six pearls.

Step 3 is to re-visit the coin with the naked eye just to make sure that you have taken everything in.

The final assessment of this 1930 Penny confirms that it is a great coin and passes our three-point assessment with flying colours.

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Four reasons why collectors love the 1930 Penny.

Reason 1. One of the prime reasons for the popularity of the 1930 Penny is its financial reliability. It is a solid coin. And in times such as we have experienced in 2020 and even now in 2021 this genuinely counts.

Reason 2. In fact, we would go one step further and say that over the long term the 1930 Penny has probably been one of our most consistent and trustworthy numismatic performers.

Reason 3. The 1930 Penny is as Australian as you can get. Struck during the Great Depression, the 1930 Penny is the nation’s glamour coin and is unrivalled for popularity, enjoying a constant stream of demand unmatched by any other numismatic rarity.

 

Reason 4. The coin is an industry phenomenon, for in a market that is quality focused it is interesting to note that the 1930 Penny is keenly sought irrespective of its quality ranking. And growth over the mid to long term has been significant across all quality levels.

Well circulated (Fine) 1930 Pennies were selling for £50 in the 1950s. A decade later, by decimal changeover, the coins were fetching £255 ($510). By 1988, Australia's Bicentenary, a Fine 1930 Penny had reached $6000. The turn of the century saw 1930 Penny prices move to a minimum of $13,000. Twenty years later prices have more than doubled.

And with a 100th anniversary just seven years away, the push to acquire Australia’s favourite Penny is really on.


72701-1861-Sydney-Mint-Sovereign-Obv-August-2023
72701-1861-Sydney-Mint-Sovereign-Rev-August-2023
COIN
1861 Sydney Mint Sovereign
PRICE
$19,500
STATUS
Available now
QUALITY
Choice Uncirculated
PROVENANCE
Private Collection Melbourne
COMMENTS
They say, ‘first impressions are lasting’ and this is certainly the case with this 1861 Sydney Mint Sovereign. Visually impactful with superb intact edges and reflective proof-like surfaces. And under the eye-glass the coin continues to shine for it has been well struck, the design highly detailed. Given that this coin was minted more than one and a half centuries ago in the factory-like conditions of the nation’s first mint makes it more remarkable. And, it has been brilliantly preserved. The coin was presented to us painstakingly wrapped up into a minute parcel in tissue paper and had been hidden away for decades. There is still original lustre! This is a rare date Sydney Mint Type II sovereign offered in the ultimate quality of Choice Uncirculated. It is a stand-alone investment piece. It also is the perfect option for the collector seeking to complete a portrait set of Australia’s sovereigns 1855 to 1931. For more information on this coin, including technical shots … READ MORE.
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10289-72701-1861-Sydney-Mint-Sovereign-rev-TECH-August-2023
10289-72701-1861-Sydney-Mint-Sovereign-obv-TECH-August-2023

Australia’s gold coinage history began in 1855 with the introduction of the Sydney Mint design. It was a style that rejected the protocols of London, imparting a uniquely Australian flavour into the nation’s first official gold coinage.

For the first, and only time, the word AUSTRALIA appeared on the reverse of our sovereigns.

A young portrait of Queen Victoria appeared on the obverse with a braid in her hair. This design, known as the Type I design, appeared in only the years 1855 and 1856.

The Australian flavour of the nation’s gold coinage was strengthened in 1857 when the design was altered to incorporate a sprig of Australia’s native flower, the banksia, in the Queen’s hair. This is referred to as the Type II portrait design and it ran from 1857 until 1870 inclusive.

This 1861 Sydney Mint Sovereign features the Type II portrait design.

If we consider for a moment the Type II design (1857 – 1870) we see that year 1865 is a defining point. Those coins struck between 1857 and 1865 inclusive are extremely rare in choice quality. Those struck in 1866 and after, up until 1870, are relatively readily available, even in choice quality

Our experiences affirm this statement.

We can count on the fingers of two hands the number of Sydney Mint Sovereigns that we have sold that were struck between 1857 and 1865 and that were in Choice Uncirculated, a reflection of their extremely limited availability at this quality level. 

So what is a portrait set? And why would this coin make a good choice for a Portrait Set?

Answer. The quality.

A complete sovereign collection is comprised of nearly 200 coins and that’s overwhelming for even the most financial of collectors. And potentially frustrating given the time that it would take to complete. That’s why so many collectors take the short cut of completing a portrait set. The sense of completeness is definitely there. And the financial burden is substantially reduced.

The Australian Sovereign series ran from 1855 to 1931 and during this time eight different portraits were used, five of Queen Victoria, one of Edward VII and two of George V.

So a complete portrait set of Australian sovereigns involves only eight coins.

1. Queen Victoria Sydney Mint Type 1 (1855 – 1856)

2. Queen Victoria Sydney Mint Type 2 (1857 – 1870)

3. Queen Victoria Young Head (1871 – 1887)

4. Queen Victoria Jubilee (1887 – 1893)

5. Queen Victoria Veiled Head (1893 – 1901)

6. King Edward VII (1902 – 1910)

7. King George V Large Head (1911 – 1928)

8. King George V Small Head (1929 – 1931)

The acquisition of this 1861 Sovereign takes care of the Type II portrait design, crossing one element off the above list, in the superb quality level of Choice Uncirculated.


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COIN
Proof 1927 Canberra Florin
PRICE
$20,000
STATUS
SOLD 22/1/2024
QUALITY
FDC, visually stunning with highly reflective silver fields and a hint of golden toning around the periphery
PROVENANCE
Sale by Private Treaty, April 2007
COMMENTS
Name the top five all-time favourite Australian rare coins. Without doubt the 1930 Penny would be at the top of the list. But, the Proof 1927 Canberra Florin would, in all likelihood, be at position number two. It is a coin that resonates with all Australians and for many collectors it's not a matter of 'IF' I will buy a Proof Canberra Florin, it's 'WHEN' I will buy one. The coin is historically important and was struck to commemorate the opening of Parliament House in Canberra. And it is rare with numismatic authority Greg McDonald contending that the mintage could be as low as 150, an explanation as to why so few are appearing on the market. And this Proof 1927 Canberra Florin is a superb FDC with a highly detailed design set against a backdrop of smooth, brilliant fields. And for those that are technically minded, the strike has been well executed, there are heavy striations on both obverse and reverse and Parliament House shows the three parliamentary steps!
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Learn More

Four reasons why the Proof 1927 Canberra Florin is so popular.

1. Genuine rarity

While Melbourne Mint records show a mintage of 400, it is generally accepted that the issue did not sell-out and a significant number of proofs were re-melted after failing to find a home. According to respected author Greg McDonald, the actual figure could be as low as 150. The proofs were gifted to politicians and sold to the general public (without a case), thereby introducing the possibility of mishandling. So for the buyer that makes quality a priority, the waiting time for a really nice Proof 1927 Canberra Florin can be a minimum of two years. Perhaps even longer.

2. Historically important

The Proof Canberra is Australia's first commemorative coin, minted for one of the most significant events in Australia’s journey to nationhood. The opening of the nation’s first Parliamentary buildings in the national capital in 1927. The coin is distinguished by a unique obverse featuring an enlarged bust of King George V, designed by Sir Edgar Mackennal.

3. A design that resonates with all Australians

In an article published in the CAB Magazine, February 2007, author and respected numismatist Vince Verheyen declared the Proof 1927 Canberra Florin "arguably Australia's most attractive predecimal silver coin". We can only but agree. The reverse of 'Old Parliament House' was designed by George Kruger-Gray.

4. Value and appreciating value

Two things are clear when you analyse auction realisations of the Proof 1927 Canberra Florin over the past forty years. The first thing you notice is that the coin is extremely scarce. On average one pristine Proof Canberra Florin appears at auction every few years. The second thing we noticed was that the coin has enjoyed solid price growth. In the 1980s, a Proof 1927 Canberra Florin was selling for approximately $1000 - $1500 at auction. Two decades later, top quality Proof Canberra Florins are commanding in excess of $20,000.

What makes this Proof Canberra Florin so good?

Use the naked eye and move the coin through the light and allow the light to reflect off the fields.

• On both obverse and reverse this Proof 1927 Canberra Florin has superb highly reflective fields. It is as though you are looking at a mirror.

• On the obverse and reverse there is a just a hint of golden toning on the periphery. Magnificent!

• The edges are intact and solid.

• Under a magnifying glass we note, the striations, between the 'ONE' in the legend and the oval containing the date 1927, are strong. This tells us is that the dies were well prepared, brushed with a wire-brush to ensure they were sharp.

• Vertical striations on the obverse are similarly distinct and strong.

• Heavy striations equates to well brushed dies. Well brushed dies equates to a razor sharp, three dimensional coin design. And the three parliamentary steps are present!

• The fields are impressive. Amazing for a coin struck nearly a century ago. Our comment here is that this coin's former owners have always respected and cherished its quality for its state of preservation is remarkable.

This Proof 1927 Canberra Florin is an impressive coin.

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CONTACT

PO Box 1060 Hawksburn Victoria Australia 3142

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