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1916 King George V Specimen Set FDC

$245,000
Rarity and quality underscores the investment potential of this Set

This 1916 four coin Specimen Set is one of the finest we have handled. It is also exceptionally rare. Perhaps every 3 to 5 years, a set may appear on the open market, but it's a chance occurrence.

While records show 60 sets were minted, only 16 were ever sold. It is believed a further 25 sets were presented to VIPs and dignitaries, and the precise fate of the others is unknown. Many sets would have been broken up and sold as individual coins. Others were accidentally used as circulating coins, their value irreparably reduced through wear.

These coins are of great historical significance, representing the first Australian Commonwealth coins minted in Australia. They were produced at the Melbourne Mint in William Street, the very first Australian Mint commissioned by the Government to strike the nation’s Commonwealth coinage. Prior to 1916, our coins were minted overseas at the Royal Mint London and at the Heaton Mint in Birmingham, since Australian Mints did not have the capacity.

To commemorate its inaugural striking, the Melbourne Mint prepared a limited number of presentation sets. Silver was sourced locally from the Broken Hill mines.

A florin, a shilling, a sixpence and threepence were struck to exacting specimen standards, with the portrait of George V.

Only 12 complete 1916 sets have appeared at Public Auction, both locally and overseas, over the last 35 years. Each time they recorded a substantial increase in value.

In 2002, a set reached new price heights when it sold at auction for $60,000. That benchmark was well passed in 2008 when a set sold in Singapore at auction for $175,000.

This underscores the investment potential of these coins and shows the respect with which top Australian coins are held on the international stage.

1927 King George V Proof Canberra Florin FDC

$65,000
Highly regarded as a prized collector piece

The 1927 Proof Canberra Florin is Australia's first commemorative coin and one of Australia’s most prized pieces among collectors. These coins are both popular and in limited supply.

The history of top quality Proof Canberra Florins shows a steadily rising value. One such coin set a new record at auction in 2010. The record didn't last long. It was broken by the first quarter of 2011.

400 examples of the Proof Canberra Florin were struck at the Melbourne Mint and sold to the public for a sixpence premium over face value. In other words, they originally sold for two and six.

Today’s collectors would be lucky to sight one or two on the market at public auction each year. As well, premium quality proofs such as this are a particularly rare commodity since at least one in every three specimens coming onto the market has been poorly handled and is of dramatically less value.

Due to its detailed design, many collectors regard this as Australia’s most attractive pre-decimal coin. This particular piece shows the classic striations associated with Proof 1927 Florins and reflects meticulous die preparation. Visually it is stunning. It is sharply struck and has been brilliantly preserved, enhanced by attractive blue toning.

The Melbourne Mint may have displayed a hint of commercialism in producing the 1916 specimen set but the reality of the striking was that it was a ‘one-off’

Its production did not establish a precedent. No further proofs were issued in a commercial sense for 11 years when, in 1927 a proof issue commemorated the opening of Parliament House in Canberra.

1934 King George V Proof Set FDC

$340,000
Great coins bring with them a great history. And this set is no exception.

The 1934 Proof Set is a rare classic in our numismatic heritage and the forerunner of the proof decimal sets issued today by the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra.

This particular Set was first offered at Spink Auctions (Australia) in April 1984, selling for $3600 on a pre-auction estimate of $3000.

It is one of only ten to have appeared at Australian public auctions over the past 35 years. Collectors regard it as one of the finest known, combining the brilliance of silver with the golden glow of copper.

You could expect to wait years for an opportunity such as this. The 1934 Proof Set appears at auction, on average, perhaps once every three to four years.

Great coins bring with them a great history. And this set is no exception.

This is Australia’s very first commercial proof set. In 1934, for the first time, the public was offered presentation strikes of each of Australia’s six circulating coins: the copper penny and halfpenny and the silver florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence.

50 sets were believed issued.

As it turned out, it was also the only proof set ever struck depicting the monarch George V.

Top Australian coins are respected worldwide for their quality and their extreme rarity. The respect with which the 1934 Proof Set in particular is held was seen recently when a high quality set was offered at Heritage Auctions in New York in January 2010.

Six bidders took the final result to a new record level, breaking the $300,000 barrier for the first time ever.

Certainly, the superb quality of the coins themselves helped them attain this price. However, it was also their historical significance. Quality, rarity, and history combine to provide collectors and investors with assets of lasting value.

1935 King George V Proof Penny & Halfpenny FDC

$105,000
Pristine beauty in two rare and historic coins

As time passes, the historic value and rarity of fine pieces increases. This fundamental dynamic is at the heart of rare coin collection and investment. The more historically poignant the piece, the keener the interest.

In the rare coin market, where history is paramount, the proof coins of 1935 hold a very special place. This is partly because they were the third proof issue struck and sold to collectors. They were also the very last collector proofs struck depicting the monarch George V. There were only two years in which George V coppers were struck and sold to collectors - 1934 and 1935.

However, these particular coins have a stature above and beyond their historical significance. They are of pristine quality with all the brilliance of just-struck coins. Even a hint of mint brilliance in copper proofs out of this era is highly regarded. But copper proofs in their original state are captivating in appearance and possess a glorious golden glow. The full mint brilliance that shines through in this penny and halfpenny is rarely, if ever, sighted.

The mintage of this set was miniscule; believed 125. They are hard to find. Over time, many of the pairs have been broken up and sold as individual coins. Then there is the nature of copper. It is a highly reactive metal and poor handling has taken its toll on at least one third of the coins we have sighted at auction. Mishandling has further reduced the availability of quality copper proofs.

You might expect to see two Proof 1935 Penny and Halfpenny pairs on the open market every twelve months, but the opportunity to acquire superb quality examples like this occurs perhaps once every four to five years.

A common attitude among collectors is that when you see a coin in this pristine state, you simply grab it. In the trade, they're seen as being as rare as the proverbial hen's teeth.

1937 King George VI Proof Crown FDC

$65,000
An Australian coin of unique historic significance

Marriage often has unforeseen consequences. When Edward VIII decided to abdicate the British throne in 1936, currency issues throughout the world were thrown into disarray. In Australia, the government was about to launch radically new designs to coincide with Edward’s coronation.

The plans had to be scuttled. To distract from the chaos, the Australian Government issued its first five-shilling piece, the 1937 Crown, depicting the portrait of the new king George VI (Edward’s brother).

The notion of a Crown sized coin was pushed by the Treasurer of the day, R G Casey (later Governor General of Australia). Hence the coin was often referred to as “Casey’s Cartwheel”.

No other denominations were issued in 1937, bar the crown. So the 1937 Crown was the only proof issue struck. The mintage was small with only 100 pieces issued.

It is a fact that the historic importance of a piece is a key issue in successful coin collection. Undoubtedly the 1937 Proof Crown holds a special importance in Australia’s numismatic history. The value of this importance is compounded because it also is extremely rare.

Today’s collectors would be lucky to sight one or two on the market at public auction each year. Also, around one in three specimens coming onto the market have been poorly handled; making premium quality Proof 1937 Crowns such as this one a rare commodity indeed.

The 1937 Proof Crown is an impressive coin, the sharp detail of the crown offset against the broad expanse of the ice smooth, mirror fields. This particular piece shows the classic striations associated with Proof 1937 Crowns and reflects meticulous die preparation. Here is an opportunity to invest in an Australian coin of unique historic significance.

1938 King George VI Proof Crown FDC

$150,000
An exceptional piece for the collector and investor

This particular proof is one of the finest Crowns known. It is regarded as superb for quality and was sold to the Madrid Collection of Rare Coins in 1993 for $10,950.

Australia’s Crowns are, by nature, rare. Only two were struck - in 1937 and 1938. They had a face value of Five Shillings.

The earlier Proof 1937 Crown is rare. However, this 1938 specimen is rarer still. Recent research has suggested that only 30 pieces were ever struck.

The history of this coin shows a steadily rising value which reflects its supreme quality and its extremely limited availability.

Coin collectors today would be lucky to sight a Proof 1938 Crown on the market at public auction every three to four years.

And then, consider that the substantial size of the 1938 Crown has meant that many coins have been poorly handled over time. An example of this quality is very rare indeed and so will always be priced at a premium.

The 1938 Proof Crown is a very substantial coin, impressive in every way. It looks just-minted with crisp, sharp detail offset against a broad expanse of the ice smooth, mirror fields. In this coin, you will see the classic striations associated with Proof coinage. This is a result of meticulous die preparation.

Rarity and superb condition make this an exceptional piece for the collector and investor.

1938 King George VI Proof Set FDC

$240,000
By any measure, this set is an outstanding exception

The rare coin industry rates this 1938 Proof Set as one of the finest examples known. A penny and halfpenny showing full original copper brilliance and four silver proofs that are mirror-smooth.

Even just a hint of mint brilliance in copper proofs out of this era is highly regarded. In these penny and halfpenny coins you see the full mint brilliance that is rarely, if ever, sighted.

The 1938 Proof Set was the first Australian Proof Set struck depicting the portrait of the new monarch, King George VI, following the abdication of his brother Edward VIII.

Not only is this the first George VI Proof Set but the only proof set struck during his seventeen year reign (1936 – 1952).

It is a classic set, a new design that embodies the spirit of the times, reflecting the Australian consciousness of the era. This alone makes it historically significant.

There are four silver proof coins: the florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence and two copper proofs, the penny and halfpenny. The bounding kangaroo appeared on the penny, the ram’s head on the shilling and the ears of wheat on the threepence.

And then there is the nature of its collection. You could not simply buy a set. While the Melbourne Mint received Treasury approval to strike proofs for collectors in 1938, it only struck and sold coins during the normal production run of coins for circulation.

This meant that acquiring a proof set in 1938 required persistence. You had to piece together the six coins over a twelve-month period. As a consequence, the proofs of 1938 quite often come onto the market as individual pieces rather than as a complete set.

This is a complete set, in mint condition. A very scarce commodity. You would have to wait many years for another opportunity and it is doubtful if another set would match this quality. It is simply in a league of its own.

1939 King George VI Proof Halfpenny FDC

$40,000
Not just a rare coin but exceptional in its category

The 1939 Proof Halfpenny is a very important piece for its historical value alone. While the bounding kangaroo appeared on Australia’s coinage in 1938, the design was not applied to the halfpenny until 1939.

The dilemma faced by collectors is that most of these coins found today are badly toned and highly spotted. However, this coin is the exception. It is of superb quality and shows underlying copper brilliance.

The Proof 1939 Halfpenny is exceptionally rare and a very important historical strike as it was the only coin struck in proof and sold to collectors in 1939.

While the original mintage was planned to be 100, the onset of war curbed retail sales and Melbourne Mint records indicate that only 40 pieces were sold.

You might sight one on the open market every year or so, but consider the quality. The value is in the condition of the coin. This coin is sublime.

It is of such quality that it is not just a rare coin but exceptional in its category.

While we might expect to see a Proof 1939 Halfpenny on the open market every twelve months, you would be lucky to sight two or three superb quality examples like this every decade.

1953 Queen Elizabeth II Specimen Set FDC

$245,000
Of the highest rarity and of the utmost importance

In 1953, the Melbourne Mint prepared a limited number of presentation sets, in celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Twelve complete sets were prepared. They included a penny, florin, shilling, sixpence and threepence. Each coin was struck to exacting specimen standards with the portrait of the new monarch.

The Twelve Sets were issued by the Commonwealth Government to the Chase Manhattan Bank in New York for their currency museum. No other collector sets were issued by the Melbourne Mint that year, making this the rarest in the series.

The tiny original mintage of twelve translates into extremely limited availability for collectors. Only four out of the twelve sets have appeared at an Australian public auction over the last 35 years. Each time they registered a substantial increase in value.

This particular 1953 presentation set has established a standard by which all others will be judged. It is acknowledged by collectors as the finest known.

First offered at an Australian public auction in July 1995 by Noble Numismatics, the Set sold for $13,400 on a pre-auction estimate of $7500. Sixteen years later it is still the finest known, unchallenged by anything else that we have seen.

Of the highest rarity and of the utmost importance, the 1953 Specimen Set signified the end of an era of minting history at the Melbourne Mint.