Sterling Currency Feed

Bolivia 1776 JR Silver 4 Reales KM#54 Fine

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 04:39:13 +0800

Bolivia 1776 JR Silver 4 Reales KM#54 Fine

The outline of the portrait remains clear and the planchet is problem-free.

South Africa 1948 Silver 5 Shillings KM#40.1 Uncirculated

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 04:39:13 +0800

South Africa 1948 Silver 5 Shillings KM#40.1 Uncirculated

Rich lustre all over.

Belgium 1877 Gold 20 Francs KM#37 Very Fine

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

Belgium 1877 Gold 20 Francs KM#37 good EF

Weight: 6.4516g

Purity: 90.00%

AGW: 0.1867 ozt

Trusted as a store of value for more than a century.

Ceylon 1900 Silver 10 Cents KM#94 Uncirculated

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

Ceylon 1900 Silver 10 Cents KM#94 Uncirculated

A solid example of this common but attractive British colonial coin.

Egypt 1917 1327/9 Silver 20 Kurush KM#780 Extremely Fine

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

Egypt 1917 1327/9 Silver 20 Kurush KM#780 Extremely Fine

Therere’s lustre evident under the patina.

1934/5 Florin Melbourne Centenary Extremely Fine

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

FLORIN King George V 1934/5

Obverse: Coronate bust of George V to right legend around

Reverse: Coat of Arms date and legend

Dusty patina, minimal wear.

French Indo-China 1901-A Silver Piastre KM#5a.1 about Unc

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

French Indo-China 1901-A Silver Piastre KM#5a.1 about Unc

Limited friction evident, fascinating old patina.

French Indo-China 1903-A Silver Piastre KM#5a.1 good EF

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

French Indo-China 1903-A Silver Piastre KM#5a.1 good EF

Deep old patina, lots of fine detail remains clear.

1841 Copper Penny Victoria S#3948 Extremely Fine

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

1841 Copper Penny Victoria S#3948 Extremely Fine

Struck before gold was disovered here, this was clearly set aside early in it’s life.

1855 Copper Penny Victoria Plain Trident S#3948 good EF

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

1855 Copper Penny Victoria Plain Trident S#3948 good EF

Lustre remains evident in the devices either side.

1844 Silver Crown Victoria S#3882 Fine

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

1844 Silver Crown Victoria S#3882 Fine

A pleasing problem-free example.

German East Africa 1908-J 5 Heller KM#11 Good Very Fine

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

German East Africa 1908-J 5 Heller KM#11 Good Very Fine

A dark even tone, only the contact marks prevent a higher grade.

Palestine 1939 Silver 100 Mils KM#7 good EF

pcms — Fri, 05 Jul 2019 11:39:29 +0800

Palestine 1939 Silver 100 Mils KM#7 good EF

Limited friction evident and better than most we see.

1865 Sydney Mint Type II Sovereign PCGS AU58

pcms — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 02:09:26 +0800

1865 Sydney Mint Type II Sovereign PCGS AU58

Obverse: Type II portrait

Reverse: Australia within wreath

Just a hint of friction evident across the high points either side.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

PCGS Certificate Number: 35255649

1878 Sydney Shield Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62)

pcms — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 02:39:27 +0800

Queen Victoria 1878 Gold SOVEREIGN Sydney Mint Obverse: Queen Victoria Young Head Reverse: Coronate shield within wreath mintmark below

Strong in the hair, tidy fields to boot.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

PCGS Certificate Number: 35255660

1880 Melbourne Young Head Sovereign Unc (PCGS MS62+)

pcms — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 02:39:27 +0800

Queen Victoria 1880 Gold Sovereign Melbourne Mint

Obverse: Queen Victoria Young Head - Portrait one

Reverse: St George & Dragon - Long tail, BP

Soft, original lustre all over.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

PCGS Certificate Number: 35253403

1880 Melbourne Young Head Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63)

pcms — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 02:39:27 +0800

1880 Melbourne Young Head Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63)

Obverse: Queen Victoria Young Head, Portrait one

Reverse: St George & Dragon; Long tail and with BP

Fantastic surfaces, lots of eye appeal evident.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

PCGS Certificate Number: 35253407

1884 Melbourne Young Head Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63)

pcms — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 02:39:27 +0800

Queen Victoria 1884 Gold SOVEREIGN Melbourne Mint

Obverse: Queen Victoria Young Head Portrait Two - "W.W" initials complete

Reverse: St George & Dragon Short tail BP

Reference Numbers: S# 3857c, MC167b

Just one finer of this type graded by PCGS to date.

1886 Melbourne Young Head Sovereign Choice Unc (PCGS MS63)

pcms — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 02:39:27 +0800

Gold SOVEREIGN 1886 Melbourne Choice Unc (PCGS MS 63)

Far better than most mint-state examples available.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

PCGS Certificate Number: 35255712

Standard Album for Various Coins

pcms — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 02:09:27 +0800

COIN ALBUM. Standard album to store a modest collection of coins.

Although there are just as many different types of coin albums as there are coins, this is easily the most popular album for storing coins that most people use.

They’re made with a hardy vinyl cover, which means they don’t get dirty easily, and remain in good nick even if they’re handled regularly. Strong and sturdy, they stand up to the test of time.

The pages inside come with pockets that have a range of sizes - they hold coins ranging in size from 1¬¢ / 5¬¢, all the way up to coins that would easily be bigger than a 50¬¢. All up, you can store more than 200 coins in these albums.

The inside pages are made from a clear vinyl, which means they’re firm and don’t sag once they’re full of coins. Each clear page has a white backing sheet behind it - perfect if you’d like to add written information on the background, rarity, origin or value of the coins in your collection.

You’ll also be able to see from the photo that the albums have brass screws on the left hand side - this means it’s real easy to customise your album to store the exact coins in your collection, you can add extra pages and remove unwanted ones really easily.

As we’ve said, this is easily the most popular album available for storing coins.

David Iverson's Research Into Jubilee Head Half Sovereigns Now Published

andrew — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 12:02:12 +0800

1910 Threepence Choice Unc (PCGS MS64+)

pcms — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 11:39:16 +0800

THREEPENCE King Edward VII 1910 Obverse: Coronate bust of Edward VII to left legend around Reverse: Coat of Arms date and legend

Lots of obverse frost and original tone to boot.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

1959 Halfpenny Gem Unc (PCGS MS65RD)

pcms — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 11:39:16 +0800

HALFPENNY Queen Elizabeth II 1959
Obverse: Bust of Elizabeth II to right legend around
Reverse: Kangaroo to left date; denomination and legend around

Rich original orange right across both sides.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

Australia 2018 Fifty Dollars AA18 First Prefix Lowe / Fraser R#525F Uncirculated

pcms — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 11:39:16 +0800

Australia 2018 Ten Dollars AA18 First Prefix

Signature Combination: Lowe / Fraser

Reference Number: R#525F

Quality: Uncirculated

Among the first NGB $50’s printed.

Work on Australia's Next Generation Banknote (NGB) series began in 2007, and came to fruition on September 1st 2016, when the first note in the series, the $5 note, was released into circulation across the country.

The NBG $10 was released a year later, on September 20th, 2017.

The NGB $50 was released a year after that, on October 10th, 2018.

The NGB notes include at least eight new security features that have been designed to ensure that Australia's currency notes remain safe from counterfeiters.

These new design characteristics are nothing less than incredible, and there is no doubt that the technology behind them will be exported right around the world for years to come.

A number of difficult technical challenges had to be solved before these security features could be included, which shows that manufacturing innovation remains alive and well in Australia.

Collectible Numismatic Products

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) released two numismatic products to mark the launch of the NGB $50 note - the first was a coloured folder that contained a single Uncirculated NGB $50 note, the second was a coloured folder that contained an Uncirculated NGB $50 note coupled with one of the last "1st Generation" $50 notes that it replaced.

Unfortunately for the collectors that care about such things, the RBA chose to include standard notes in these folders - the serial numbers and prefixes were exactly the same as those that could be obtained out of circulation.

Although the folders are reasonably limited in nature, and can only be obtained from the RBA and selected retailers, collectors are far more interested in obtaining exclusive notes than fancy packaging. A collector market quickly developed for certain serial prefixes - prices for the most popular prefixes boomed in the first couple of weeks that these notes were in circulation, some were selling for up to $150 each.

First prefix notes have long been favoured by collectors as being the best notes to set aside, as they can be clearly identified as being among the very first printed.

The NGB $10 was released in 2018, so the first prefix for this note is AA18.

Each of the AA18 first prefix notes that we have available is crisp and original, and is devoid of any flicks or folds.

They are perfect to set aside as a memento of the introduction of these historic notes, and are sure to be in demand with collectors for many years to come.

1974 $2 Note Australia Phillips/Wheeler R85 Uncirculated

pcms — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 11:39:16 +0800

$2 NOTE 1974 Australia Phillips/Wheeler Uncirculated

1983 $2 Note Johnston/Stone R88 Uncirculated

pcms — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 11:39:16 +0800

$2 NOTE 1983 Johnston/Stone Uncirculated

Remarkably, this is now over 35 years old.

The Excelsior Bank - the Bank that Never Was

andrew — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 11:38:28 +0800

Complete Lighthouse Album for Paper Decimal Notes (Including Vario Pages and Interleaves)

pcms — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 12:10:09 +0800

Custom Designed Album for a Complete Set of Australian Paper Decimal Banknotes

The ONLY way to store a complete set of paper decimal notes.

Any dedicated collector will tell you that if you’re interested in keeping your collection safe from theft and damage, a good album is vital. Another perhaps less well-known benefit is that storing your collection in a well-designed album keeps you organized and motivated.

This particular album has been custom designed to hold a complete set of Australian paper decimal banknotes - it has space for 92 different notes, representing one of each different type of paper decimal banknote issued in Australia between 1966 and 1996.

Discrete and Compact Storage

These binders and slipcases are made from a high-quality vinyl, ensuring your collection not only looks great, but that it’s stored in a discrete and compact way. They’re tidy, and really well made.

Archival Quality Storage Pages

Each of the album pages that the notes are inserted into are made from archival-quality mylar (not plastic!) Mylar is an inert material that's used by museums around the world to store historical and important documents such as banknotes.

Mylar is far superior to the soft and flexible vinyl pages that are included in cheaper banknote albums, and is essential to preserve the quality of the notes in your collection. Storing your notes in mylar pages ensures that they will always remain in as good condition as the day you acquire them.

More Information On Your Notes Than You'll Find In Some Books

If you haven’t encountered the term “interleave” before, don’t be surprised - the dictionary definition of this term is “A typically blank extra page between the leaves of a book.”

When it comes to a banknote album however, “interleave” refers to a backing sheet that sits behind a clear banknote page, one that has a range of information about each note printed on it.

The interleaves in this album have been designed by the man that is probably regarded as Australia’s pre-eminent expert on Mick Vort-Ronald.

Basically, they include reams of information on Australia’s paper decimal banknotes - probably more technical information than you’d find in some books on the subject. The written information on each note covers the following points:

Reference numbers (each major reference is included),
Signature combinations,
Dates on issue (exact release and withdrawal dates),
Numbers printed,
Any and all distinguishing characteristics,
Information on and background to the designs used.

With all of the above benefits, you can see why all serious collectors of Australian paper decimal banknotes use a custom album like this to store their collection.

Using this album, you know exactly what you have and what you need to finish your set, you’ll know everything there is to know about each and every note there is in your collection, and it’s all stored in a safe, tidy and attractive manner.

Mexico ca 1652 Silver 8 Reales ex Gilt Dragon Shipwreck Fine WAM Cert # 3926

pcms — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 12:10:09 +0800

Mexico Undated Silver 8 Reales ex Gilt Dragon shipwreck Cal#395 Fine

WA Maritime Museum Certificate # 3926

Solid surfaces, strong detail and affordable.

One of the characteristics of the vast majority of the coins recovered from the wreck of the Gilt Dragon is that nearly all of them are "cobs" - they were hand struck.

One of the characteristics that hand struck coins share is a lack of uniformity - mint staff were often working under pressure, at a frantic pace, and with incredible volumes of metal.

The frequency that we see "clipped" planchets on these coins is a clear indicator that senior mint staff at the Spanish colonial mints in South America were clearly under instructions to ensure that the coins their mints issued weighed no more than a standard weight - coins that exceeded that standard weight had a small section clipped off, so it could be used.

Coins such as this one clearly show however that mint staff were not as concerned whether the coins were fully struck - there are sections of both sides that remain blank, a characteristic that isn't at all unusual for cob coins.

This particular Gilt Dragon coin is a hefty size, and is a great memento of one of Australia's most famous shipwrecks.

Click this link to read our article on the story of this incredible shipwreck.

1872 Sydney Young Head Half Sovereign about Unc (PCGS AU58)

pcms — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 04:09:42 +0800

1872 Sydney Young Head Half Sovereign about Unc (PCGS AU58)

Obverse: Young Head of Victoria, legend around. Repositioned nose - points below 'T' in Victoria, with 123 denticles.

Reverse: Coronate shield within wreath, mintmark below. Top of cross touches border shield and with 122 denticles.

A superb example

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

PCGS Certificate Number: 37390308

Unidentified Silver 8 Reales ca 1652 Ex Gilt Dragon shipwreck, encrusted with sediment and seashell

pcms — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 12:39:26 +0800

Unidentified Silver 8 Reales ca 1652 Ex Gilt Dragon shipwreck, encrusted with sediment and seashell

WA Maritime Museum Certificate # 10985

Perhaps not in mint condition, however an incredible memento of the Gilt Dragon shipwreck.

One of the main critieria that collectors use when assessing shipwreck coins to add to their collection is quality - can the designs be seen clearly either side? Does the coin look close to the way it would have when it left the mint?

This is one particular coin that doesn't meet either of those criteria well, however that is precisely why it is so fantastic from a collector's point of view.

This coin clearly shows heavy encrustation either side, and even has a seashell adhered to the reverse! (Or the obverse, who knows which side it is).

We can prove that any particular coin recovered from the wreck of the Gilt Dragon has that provenance simply by pointing to the certificate issued for it by the WA Maritime Museum.

A coin such as this is unequivocally an ex-wreck coin, who needs to have that confirmed by the certificate when it has a seashell stuck to it!

Click this link to read our article on the story of this incredible shipwreck.

1943 Florin Choice Unc (PCGS MS64)

pcms — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 12:10:09 +0800

1943 Florin Choice Unc (PCGS MS64)

Obverse: Bust of George VI to left, legend around.

Reverse: Coat of Arms date and legend

Lots of frosty lustre evident across both sides.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

PCGS Certificate Number: 37699803

2004 Silver One Ounce Proof Coin Steam Train Sesquicentennial

pcms — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 12:10:09 +0800

Australia 2004 Silver One Ounce Proof Coin

Obverse: Rank-Broadley portrait of Elizabeth II to right;

Reverse: Steam Train

Purity: 999% Weight: 31.635g Nett: 1.02ozt

An attractive silver proof struck on a hugely popular theme.

1464 ~ 1470 Silver Groat Edward IV cf S#1995 about VF

pcms — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 11:39:34 +0800

1464 ~ 1470 Silver Groat Edward IV cf S#1995 about VF

A strong portrait, struck during the era of the Wars of the Roses.

1351 ~ 1362 Silver Groat Edward III cf S#1565 Fine

pcms — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 11:39:34 +0800

1351 ~ 1362 Silver Groat Edward III cf S#1565 Fine

Struck at around the same time as the bubonic plague was sweeping England.

1707-E Silver Crown Anne S#3600 about VF

pcms — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 11:39:34 +0800

1707-E Silver Crown Anne S#3600 about VF

A pleasing example of this historic type, struck after the Union between Scotland and England.

1413 ~ 1422 Silver Groat Henry V cf S# 1764 about Fine

pcms — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 11:39:34 +0800

1413 ~ 1422 Silver Groat Henry V cf S# 1764 about Fine

A solid example representing one of England’s most popular Kings.

1485 ~ 1509 Silver Groat Henry VII cf S#2193 Fine

pcms — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 11:39:34 +0800

1485 ~ 1509 Silver Groat Henry VII cf S#2193 Fine

Deep and attractive tone.

Cook Islands Silver 5 Coin Set The Ships That Made Australia

pcms — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 05:09:46 +0800

Cook Islands Silver 5 Coin Set The Ships That Made Australia

Each of the 5 coins in this set has the following technical characteristics:

Diameter: 50.30mm

Weight: 62.77g

Purity: 99.9%

ASW: 2.00 ozt

An attractive set on an ever-popular theme.

Sailing vessels have played a major part in Australia’s discovery and history. Our continent was discovered by European sailors in ships from all parts of the world - ships from Britain, Spain, Holland, France and Portugal all eached different parts of the Australian continent in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The coins in this set remain in the original presentation case, and are accompanied by the certificate of authenticity they were issued with.

Australia 2000 Silver Lunar 5 Coin Proof Set Perth Mint Series I - Dragon

pcms — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 05:09:46 +0800

Australia 2000 Silver Lunar 5 Coin Proof Set Perth Mint Series I - Dragon

Purity: 99.9%

Weight: 1,419.9g

ASW: 45.651ozt

Mintage: 266

Certificate Number: 56

This is the rarest set in the world’s most popular silver lunar coin series.

The Perth Mint Australian Lunar Series gold and silver coins commemorate the Chinese Lunar calendar: gold coins were first struck in 1996, silver coins began in 1999. It is now one of the most keenly collected lunar coin series in the entire world.

The dragon, the only mythical animal in the lunar series, is revered by the Chinese.

To them, the dragon is the ultimate symbol of wisdom and represents the spirit for advancement. The dragon also is viewed as the incarnation of power and authority. In Chinese communities, dragon years are marked by celebrations, festivals, and rising birth rates as parents attempt to confer their offspring with the dragon's characteristics of success, happiness, and prosperity.

The Year 2000 silver dragon is the key coin in The Perth Mint Lunar Series for several reasons.

Although the year 2000 was celebrated as the last year of the old millennium, it was the first year of the new millennium.

Regardless, coins dated 2000 are unique and often are highly sought after in the collectible coin market.

People born in the Year of the Dragon are (apparently!) healthy, energetic, excitable, short-tempered, and stubborn. Dragons are also honest, sensitive, brave, and they inspire confidence and trust.

In addition to the year 2000, other Dragon years are 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928, 1916, and 1904.

The coins, case and certificate here all remain in excellent condition. We’ve examined each of the coins appear to be free of any meaningful tone patches; carbon spots or milky film.

The felt case that the coins are stored in is intact and free from any detracting marks.

There are a number of minor creases on the edges of the coloured cardboard outer sleeve, as the images indicate and as is normal for this series.

All in all, this is a fantastic example of this truly scarce and popular set, one that will easily slot into any set of Perth Mint Lunar coins.

Special Note: Please be aware that the marks you see on the images below are on the capsules, and are not on the coins themselves.

Australia 1921 Pattern Kookaburra Penny Type 12 PCGS SP53

pcms — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 10:10:31 +0800

Australia 1921 Pattern Kookaburra Penny PCGS SP53

Type 12: - 98% Nickel / 2% Tin. 4.22g.

Melbourne Mint.

Obverse: Effigy by Bertram MacKennal within a circular legend that reads GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX.

Date (1921) below with a dot (•) each side of it.

Initials ‘BM’ appear in the truncation of the bust.

Reverse: The bird looks like a kookaburra and is on a shorter and thicker branch.

The word ‘AUSTRALIA’ appears in slightly smaller letters and is less curved.

The words ‘ONE PENNY’, while still on one line, are also slightly smaller.

Great eye appeal, solid value for money.

The pattern Kookaburra pennies were to be the forerunners of a smaller and more cost-effective national coinage, and are believed to have been the brainchild of the Commonwealth Treasurer at the time of World War I, Mr William Alexander Watt.

This move to an improved circulating coinage obviously did not succeed, and as a result, the very few Kookaburra patterns that remain in existence today are highly prized by collectors & historians.

Far smaller than the equivalent denominations already in circulation at the time, the patterns were made of a range of alloys that were lighter and intended to be far less susceptible to wear.

Various combinations of nickel, copper & nickel, tin & copper were used, and due to the light tone these alloys had, the proposed Kookaburra patterns were to be square in shape, to avoid confusion with the sixpence and threepences already in circulation.

Although this was clearly an unusual step, this innovation was not without precedent within the British Commonwealth.

The Royal Mint began producing square five-cent pieces in copper nickel for Ceylon in 1909 - these coins had roughly the same diameter as the intended Australian patterns, and continued to be struck (in one form or another) until the 1970’s.

Resistance to Innovation

Watt encountered resistance to his Kookaburra patterns even while they were at the design & production stages.

More than one respected numismatic text records controversy over the selection of a “bare” portrait of King George V, while records indicate the harder alloys presented difficulties to staff striking the coins.

Furthermore, the (imported) nickel cost more than the metals available locally.

Despite the apparent controversy over his portrait, the King approved the uncrowned likeness and by February of 1921, the Royal Mint had prepared and dispatched master dies to Melbourne.

The next phase of development was testing how the patterns would fare in circulation, and vending machine operators were quick to demonstrate how the Kookaburras jammed their machinery.

Given the obstacles the new alloys & shape presented, the prospects of Watt’s revolutionary idea becoming reality darkened considerably.

A Talented, Forceful and Eloquent Protege

William Alexander Watt is described as being “a talented, forceful, eloquent” protégé of Australia’s second Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin.

Watt became Commonwealth Treasurer in 1918 and while Prime Minister W.M. (Billy) Hughes was in Britain during 1918 and 1919 for the peace negotiations following the end of World War I, Watt was also Acting Prime Minister of Australia.

After a series of disputes with Prime Minister Hughes (apparently relating to his portfolio responsibilities), Watt resigned in June 1920, while on a financial mission to London. Watt was then appointed as a Privy Councillor in 1920, and retired from politics altogether in 1927.

Watt was succeeded in the Commonwealth Treasurer’s role by Joseph Cook, whose biographers describe him as being dour; solemn; aloof and humourless, “a man that continually changed his political views and overturned his earlier principles and allegiances.”

Presumably given the nature of the other, more serious challenges facing the Commonwealth Treasury at the time, Cook apparently showed little interest in continuing Watt’s radical project for Australia’s coinage, and consequently the Treasury did not institute the Government regulations required to authorize the Mint to proceed.

The exact number of Kookaburra patterns that remain in existence is not known - Royal Mint records from the period do not indicate exactly how many were produced, and so numismatists are left to jump at the few that do become available.

Despite the numerical grade attributed to it, the example we offer here remains in excellent condition – it has intact rims, original surfaces and a pleasing eye appeal.

We believe the price of this coin is right, and offers excellent value for the type collector.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

1934 Melbourne Proof Florin PCGS PR65+

pcms — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 09:40:28 +0800

Proof Florin King George V 1934

Melbourne Mint

Obverse: Coronate bust of George V to right, legend around

Reverse: Denomination within legend, date below

Mintage: 100

Superb colour right across both sides.

Although the Melbourne mint had been producing proof coins on a commercial basis since it struck the Parliament Florin 1927, it wasn't until 1934 that proof coin production extended across the entire series of denominations in Australia.

Demand for Australian proof / specimen coins from Australian collectors was extremely limited at that time, however there was far more demand for Australian proof coins from outside Australia - the dealers Spink's; Seaby's and Baldwin's in London, as well as the New Zealand Coin Exchange all placed bulk orders for Australian proof coins with the Melbourne Mint during the 1930's.

Due to the expenses involved with their production, the slender profit margins being earned and the administrative imposition that this work entailed, the Melbourne Mint only released proof coins to customers prepared to pay the premiums involved with their production.

An order for 50 complete sets of 1934 Australian proof coins (including each of the 6 denominations between halfpenny and florin) from the New Zealand Coin Exchange boosted the number of proof coins struck by the Melbourne Mint to levels not seen for a number of years.

Detailed research into the production of Australian proof coins by Vince Verheyen has shown that the production of these coins "....from specially annealed planchets involved them being struck twice with fresh dies in the presses. The lack of damage (surface or bag marks) as noted by HG is consistent with the coins being made effectively by hand. These coins did not drop down from the press into large boxes or pass through the Mint's normal handling system."

My auction records indicate that just 4 1934 proof florins have been offered for sale via auction in the past 5 years - the last one I saw was in December 2016.

This particular example retains fantastic, mirrored surfaces. It has an attractive smoky patina, and looks truly reflective in the hand.

The 1934 proof florin is the most attractive and affordable "type" coin of the King George V florin series, this is a solid example.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

Excelsior Bank (Sydney) ca 1884 One Pound Unissued Remainder MVR# 1 good EF

pcms — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 04:40:38 +0800

Excelsior Bank (Sydney) ca 1884 One Pound Unissued Remainder

Reference Number: MVR# 1

Quality Grade: good EF

An affordable reminder of Australia’s private banking system.

Australia's pre-federation banknote series is littered with a small number of un-issued notes that never saw the light of day due to the untimely demise of the entities that issued them - the Royal Bank of Australia; the Federal Bank of Australia; the Provincial and Suburban Bank are all examples of note issuers whose obligations were not fully satisfied by the time they went out of business, such was the boom and bust nature of the Australian economy in the late 19th century.

The notes of the Excelsior Bank are similar to those mentioned above, in that none were in fact ever issued into circulation. That is where the similarity ends however, as the reason they were not signed and issued into circulation is believed to have more to do with the prudence of the directors than their greed or lack of business acumen.

The Excelsior Land Investment and Building Company was established in Sydney in 1880, and remained in business until 1928. This continuous period of operation stands in complete contrast to a number of the other Building Societies across New South Wales and Victoria that went to the wall following the 1893 Banking Depression.

Various histories of the Excelsior Land Investment and Building Company have been able to identify a series decisions made and actions taken by the directors of the Excelsior that bear the hallmarks of nepotism, if not outright corruption when it came to working in with NSW politicians regarding allocations of land and the directions in which critical infrastructure such as the Sydney - Parramatta train line were to run.

Despite that nepotism or corruption, the fact that the Excelsior Land Investment and Building Company did not completely morph into the Excelsior Bank indicates that the directors of the Excelsior placed finite limits on the extent to which they were prepared to go in order to profit from their real estate holdings.

The exact reason why the Bank was not formally formed, and thus why the notes were not actually issued, is not known. What is known is that the notes were prepared by Perkins, Bacon & Co in 1883, and that the Excelsior was not in any financial difficulty at that time. Whether the directors decided that the reporting obligations of a bank were too onerous given the likely returns, or whether they lacked the hard capital required to fund the bank's opening is not yet known.

72 of these unissued notes were purchased by the Sydney banknote dealer John Pettit early in 2000, taken from the only book of 100 printed notes known for this "Bank".

It is understood that 28 of the unissued notes had been given out to family and friends of the Excelsior while it was in operation, which explains the remaining number of 72 notes.

This note remains a tangible reminder of the relatively free-wheeling banking system that was in place in Australia prior to 1910, when private companies saw the issuance of banknotes as a valid way of raising capital.

German Naval 1914 Brass 50 Pfennig Canteen Token ex SMS Emden good VF

pcms — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 03:09:59 +0800

German Naval 1914 Brass 50 Pfennig Canteen Token ex SMS Emden good VF

Diameter: 25mm

Weight: 4.63g

Believed to have been recovered from the wreck of the Emdenby a member of the HMAS Sydney crew.

The SMS Emden was a ship in the German Imperial Navy that sank off the Cocos Islands afer being engaged by the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Sydney in November 1914.

Prior to meeting HMAS Sydney, the Emden had been successfully raiding Allied ships and bases across the Indian Ocean - her crew had captured no less than two dozen ships.

The meeting of the Emden and the Sydney became known as “The Battle of the Coral Sea”, and is regarded as Australia’s first naval engagement.

Australian servicemen were able to recover a number of artefacts from the wreck of the Emden, and it is believed that many of the Canteen tokens in collector’s hands today were recovered from the wreck in the days that shortly followed the battle.

Collectibles such as this are a direct link to Australia’s proud military history.

Great Britain 1953 Unofficial Uncirculated Mint Coin Set (10 coins including Coronation crown) Elizabeth II UNC

pcms — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 03:09:59 +0800

Great Britain 1953 Unofficial Uncirculated Mint Coin Set (10 coins including Coronation crown) Elizabeth II UNC

The coins in this set were clearly carefully selected, each is in superb mint condition.

The coronation of Elizabeth II was a major event for Britain’s numismatic community - not only was a new crown struck to mark the occasion, but all circulating coins were now struck with the obverse of Her Majesty.

Several new reverse designs were also included in the new QEII series, which explains the enthusiasm with which so many sets were set aside by collectors and the general public.

Although this appears to be a privately-issued set, the coins in it remain in impeccable condition.

1938 Melbourne Proof Crown PCGS PR63

pcms — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 09:40:45 +0800

1938 Melbourne Proof Crown PCGS PR63

Obverse: Bust of King George VI to left, legend around

Reverse: Crown above date, legend around

Nett Mintage: 52 / 100

This coin is the finer of just 2 examples graded by PCGS to date.

The 1937 crown was warmly received by the Australian public when it was released into circulation in May 1937. A number of contemporary newspaper reports from across the country discuss members of the general public paying a premium over face value so they could add one to their collection or keep it as a family memento.

The popularity of the crown as a circulating coin eased somewhat when they were struck again in 1938 - they had lost their status as a one-year issue, and the reality of carrying around such a large coin in a pocket or purse hit home.

As a result of this unpopularity, the number of crowns struck for circulation during 1938 was a modest fraction of those struck during 1937.

The same cannot be said for the proofs however, as 100 proof examples were struck both in 1937, and in 1938.

Collectors of Australian pre-decimal proofs however are well aware that the 1938 proof crown is substantially rarer than the 1937 proof crown. This can be explained by a large drop in the number of coins that were actually sold in 1938, as opposed to 1937. Research by the Victoria numismatist John Sharples, published in Volume 5 of the Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia (page 21), indicates that only 52 of the 100 proof crowns struck during 1938 were actually sold, the clear consequence being that the remainder were destroyed.

This huge difference in rarity can also be seen in the frequency with which these coins have appeared at auction over the past decade. My research indicates that while 35 1937 proof crowns have been offered for sale via public auction in Australian between 2008 and 2018, only 6 1938 crowns have been seen over that same period of time.

The last proof 1938 crown to sell via auction was seen in a Noble Numismatics sale in November 2016. Although that coin had not been graded by PCGS, it made a hammer price of $25,000, for a nett price of $29,813.

At the date this is being written, PCGS had graded 21 proof 1937 crowns, and only 2 proof crowns dated 1938. (Click the PCGS icon below to access the most up to date population data this coin has).

As the images and grade indicate, this is a superb example. Despite the weight and fragile surfaces a proof coin of this size has, it retains a mirror finish right across both sides. The cross on the orb is sharp, as are the high points on the fleur de lis.

Difficult to improve upon, it is a sublime memento dating to the early years of the reign of King George VI.

Click the PCGS icon below to verify the certificate details for this coin directly on the PCGS website.

1989 Gold Proof Sovereign 500th Anniversary Elizabeth II S#SC3 FDC

pcms — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 04:09:47 +0800

1989 Gold Proof Sovereign 500th Anniversary Elizabeth II S#SC3 FDC

Mintage: 10,535

The popularity of this coin has surged in the years since it was issued.

This coin remains in the original presentation case it was issued in, and is accompanied by the certificate of authenticity.

Australia 2002 Twenty Dollar Charity Sheet Note McFarlane / Henry R#420a Uncirculated CA 02 000000

pcms — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 02:39:52 +0800

Australia 2002 Twenty Dollar Charity Sheet Note McFarlane / Henry R#420a Uncirculated CA 02 000000

This particular charity sheet note has an incredible line of text in the top margin.

To the uninitiated, polymer “Charity Sheet" notes appear to be a new type of specimen note - as with the polymer specimen notes issued between 1988 and 1996, each charity sheet note features “000000” after the serial prefix, so the initial confusion is understandable.

Charity Sheet notes are not specimen notes however - they served a different purpose, were distributed in a different manner, and are rated differently by collectors.

Even though Charity Sheet notes are not specimens, they are quite scarce and are very collectable in their own right.

This particular Charity Sheet note was sold via an RBA charity auction in February 2002, and is one of just 40 notes with a 000000 serial number from this year.

Click here to read our full auction on the background to the Charity Note series.

As the images above show, this particular note has a quite incredible line of text in the top margin of the note. I certainly haven’t seen something like this before, and can’t imagine it being seen as part of the design of a banknote from any country other than Australia!

just who Mick and Doug were remains to be seen - at first I thought they may have been the middles names of the two signatories of the notes, however Ian McFarlane’s middle name is Elgin, while Ken Henry’s middle name is Ross.

I’m quite certain Mary Reiby’s middle name was neither Mick nor Doug, John Flynn’s middle name also remains a mystery.

Based on all of that, I conclude that Mick and Doug were two of the staff at NPA during 2002, their names perhaps indicated who was responsible for a particular phase of production. It certainly is a more interesting way of determining responsibility than just using a number or oether code.

Australia 1910 Superscribed One Pound Note (London Bank of Australia) R# S45 about Fine

pcms — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 02:39:52 +0800

Australia 1910 Superscribed One Pound Note (London Bank of Australia) R# S45 about Fine

Host Form: London Bank of Australia Limited

Superscription Type: Variety C

Signatures: Collins / Allen

Reference Number: R# S45

Quality Grading: about Fine

Provenance:

Ex Stewart Burton collection.

Burton was from Western Australia, his collection was sold via Downie's in March 1980. The auctioneer described it as "outstanding", it contained a number of Commonwealth banknote rarities such as a presentation 10/-; a Rainbow pound; as well as Twenty, Fifty and One Hundred pound notes.

Lot #820, Downie's (Australian Coin Auctions) Auction (March 1980). Hammer: $300, Nett: $300.

Lot #688, Downie's (Australian Coin Auctions) Auction (August 1980). Hammer: $500, Nett: $500.

Lot #575, Downie's (Australian Coin Auctions) Auction 137 (December 1980). Hammer: $525, Nett: $525.

Lot #3055, Noble Numismatics Auction 75 (April 2004). Estimate: $3,500, Hammer: $8,200, Nett: $9,553.

An honest and affordable example of Australia’s very first Commonwealth notes.

Many collectors mistakenly believe that the first banknotes issued by Australia's Commonwealth Government were the ten shilling notes printed in 1913. That is certainly not the case, as the superscribed series of notes were issued by the Commonwealth Treasury from October 1910.

The Commonwealth Treasury assumed control over Australia's circulating currency following years of criticism by the Labour Party of the free-market financial system. In Labour's opinion, the private banks "... were too vulnerable to collapse, that the banks were profiteering, and that their lending practices tended to be pro-cyclical (excessive in an upswing and too restrictionist in a slump).” [Bell; Stephen, "Australia's Money Mandarins: The Reserve Bank and the Politics of Money", Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2004, p 7.]

Within 90 days of being voted in, Andrew Fisher’s second Labour government passed two Acts that gave the Commonwealth a monopoly over the issue of notes in Australia. Once the relevant acts of legislation were passed, the public service moved quickly to bring national banknotes into reality. As can be imagined, a new national currency at the very least requires specialized printing machinery, as well as other planks of infrastructure, none of which the Commonwealth Government had ready access to at that time.

These significant challenges were apparently dismissed out of hand by Treasury officials - rather than go to the time and expense of designing and printing the new notes from scratch (a project that would have taken several years at least to complete successfully), Treasury officials were instead quite prepared to “overprint” existing banknotes - to superimpose an official design, endorsement and denomination on banknotes that had already been printed by a private bank.

Australia's first Commonwealth notes were printed from October 1910 and were issued from December 1910 - the note forms from no less than 17 different banks were used. By April 1912, the Commonwealth Treasury was aware that this wide range of different superscribed note designs increased the risk that counterfeit notes might enter circulation. To mitigate that risk, Treasury chose to use only the forms of the National Bank after that date: "...it has been decided by the Treasury that for the future and until the Commonwealth is in a position to employ its own special paper and dies, to use none but the notes bearing the name of the National Bank of Australasia."

By May 1913, the Commonwealth Government had the necessary printing equipment, supplies and expertise to print Australia's first uniform series of notes, which meant that the circulating superscribed notes could be retired with full confidence that they would be promptly replaced in circulation. The last superscribed notes were issued into circulation in April 1914, and were actively withdrawn from circulation after that.

They remain to this day Australia's first national currency notes, with an irreplaceable history.

Market Rarity:

44 superscribed one pound notes have been seen at auction in the past five years, 21 of those were part of the famed Caldwell Collection of Australian banknotes - arguably the second most comprehensive collection of these historic notes ever formed.

Of the 44 notes offered for sale via auction over the past 5 years, the vast majority have had obvious impairments such as holes, tears, stains or paper separation.

Quality Description:

Apart from one tear in the right hand edge, this particular superscribed one pound note remains fully intact, which is just remarkable when we consider the age of the note and the extent to which it would have circulated throughout World War I.

A previous owner has made an attempt to limit the tear by placing tape over that section of the back of the note.

The border areas are lightly toned, which is quite acceptable for a note of this quality.

Examination under a strong light shows us that the paper is devoid of any pinholes or inner paper separation.

This is a solid and rare example of Australia's first national currency notes.

Click here to read our article covering the entire background to Australia's first Commonwealth banknotes.

1951-PL London Proof Coin Set (6d to 1/2d) PCGS PR63RB-PR64

pcms — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 12:40:04 +0800

1951-PL London Proof Set (Sixpence to Halfpenny) PCGS PR63RB-PR64

Sixpence: PCGS PR64

Threepence: PCGS PR64

Penny: PCGS PR63RB

Halfpenny: PCGS PR64RB

An attractive and well-matched set of these historic proof coins.

href="https://www.sterlingcurrency.com.au/research/1951-pl-proof-copper-coins-struck-royal-mint-london">Click

here to read our full background to the history of these attractive and

extremely rare proof coins.

While the 1951 PL coins struck for circulation by the London Mint for

Australia are readily available in choice grade, the same can hardly be

said of the proofs.

Mintage figures and the distribution list for King George VI proof coins

produced by the Perth Mint are readily available, however this is not the

case for Australian proof coins produced by the Royal Mint.

The exact mintage of the 1951 PL proof coins is unknown, however the

general rule for the few Australian proof coins that were struck by the

Royal mint is that they are extremely rare, if not nearly unique, in

private hands.

There is every indication also that the proofs of these coins would have

been keenly highly prized by senior figures in the Royal and Australian

Mints.

The Deputy Master of the Melbourne Mint, Mr O.G. Reynolds, spent some 7

to 8 weeks in London during 1951.

In the Annual Report for 1951, the Deputy Master of the Mint stated, “All

concerned in the striking of these coins derived great pleasure with

being thus intimately connected with the Australian coinage.”

Any seasoned collector will attest that all of the 1951 PL coins have been

superbly struck.

Given the superb quality of the finished product, we can only presume

that the proofs would have been viewed with a great deal of pleasure.

Quality and Rarity

Each of these coins has been independently graded by PCGS, so are

guaranteed to have original surfaces.

The halfpenny has a hint more original red than the penny does, each of

the coins matches together quite nicely.

Pre decimal proof coins from the King George VI era are currently trading

at prices we haven't seen for at least 20 years. Items such as this are

excellent buying for anyone that has long-term confidence in this market.

My auction research shows that complete sets of the four 1951-PL proof

coins have only ever been offered for sale via auction four times since

the mid 1970's - more than 15 years passed between several of those

sightings.

Click on the links below to see the PCGS certificate details on their

website.

Sixpence: PCGS PR64

Threepence: PCGS PR64

Penny: PCGS PR63RB

Halfpenny: PCGS PR64RB