Posts by Ian Glen
Price paid for rare Australia Holey Dollar beats world record
A new record was set earlier this month when one of Australia’s oldest surviving coins, the famous Holey Dollar, was sold at a Melbourne auction house to a private collector for a staggering AUS$495,000, beating the previous record of AUS$485,000 set in 2011.
Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)
The coin above is very similar to the one sold at auction recently
The fascinating 200 year-old history behind the Holey Dollar – so-called because of the distinctive hole in its centre – has captured the imagination of collectors not just in Australia but worldwide.
Brilliant but simple
In 1813, to combat a local currency shortage, the Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquarie came up with a cunning plan. Enlisting the services of a convicted forger William Henshall, Macquarie ordered the middle of 40,000 coins to be punched out and inscribed with a crown – this became known as the ‘Dump’.
He then stamped the outer ring – the ‘Holey Dollar’ – with the words ‘New South Wales’ and the year of issue. The point being that the two pieces had a higher collective value and so were worth more if they stayed as one whole coin in Australia than individually overseas. Problem solved.
One of the finest examples
The coin sold at auction in Melbourne had been minted in 1813 from a Spanish Silver Dollar that had been struck at the Lima Mint in 1805. Out of a very limited number known to have survived, the one sold recently is thought to be among the finest examples.
Very few known to have survived
The Holey Dollar and Dump was withdrawn from circulation in 1829 and most were shipped to London to be melted down or sold off as bullion silver.
Of those that survived, there are now only some 300 left, of which 200 are in private hands. They are among Australia’s rarest legal tender coins and on the rare occasion they come up for auction, they attract considerable interest. The question now is how long before this new record is broken?
Ground-breaking new coin reveals Ancient Egyptian secret
Ninety years since Howard Carter discovered Tutankhumun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, a unique 5oz Silver Coin uncovers its very own hidden treasures of Ancient Egypt.
Reveal the hidden treasures of the Ancient Egypt Silver 5oz Coin
Struck from pure Sterling Silver to the finest proof finish, this incredible coin is richly evocative of Ancient Egypt.
Notice the beautiful 24 Carat Gold centrepiece – Pyramid-shaped, naturally – beautifully engraved with symbols and hieroglyphics from Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus in which the teenage king’s body lay undisturbed for nearly three thousand years.
When is a coin not a coin? A beautiful 24 Carat Gold Pyramid sits at its centrepiece
Triangular it may be but it’s still a coin. To prove it, Ian Rank-Broadley’s portrait of the Queen appears on the obverse – alongside the Egyptian gods Hathor and Anubis.
Remove the Pyramid altogether and you’ll uncover another numismatic gem – Tutankhamun’s burial mask in glorious technicolour.
Remove the Gold Pyramid to reveal Tutankhamun’s burial mask
And I should of course mention the size of the Ancient Egypt 5oz Coin. With a 65mm diameter, this mesmerising coin fills the palm of your hand.
Just 450 Ancient Egypt 5oz Coins were struck worldwide to mark the 90th anniversary of the most exciting archaeological discovery of the last century.
“Do you own a scarce Olympic 50p?” UPDATE: Triathlon kicks Football off Olympic 50p top spot
In August last year, we reported the Football 50p to be the scarcest of the Olympic 50p designs according to our Olympic 50p Swap Centre data. So how have things changed over the last 6 months?
Triathlon is now the most in demand Olympic 50p
Well the news is that Triathlon has kicked Football off the top-spot with the latest information revealing the following are the top 5 most requested designs:
- Triathlon
- Wresting
- Judo
- Football
- Rowing
The Brownlee Effect?
Of course you might be forgiven for thinking that Brownlee brothers’ success at the Olympics boosted demand and perhaps it played a small part. However, the biggest influence is how the Royal Mint has released the coins into circulation.
Unfortunately, we are unlikely to know the final figures of how many of each coin was distributed for another 3 and a half years, when the Royal Mint releases mintage information but I am pretty sure top 5 most wanted will be amongst the lowest mintage numbers.
Of course, in the meantime, if you are looking to complete your Olympic 50p Collection you can register to find other collectors to swap with absolutely FREE at the Olympic 50p Swap Centre.