Australian collectors coins

[barbaro 10]

Hi there,

 

What is everyones views on Australian collectors coins, like the silver and gold proof coins we have here? Would they be worth collecting or is it more of an Australian market than an international one?

 

This is the site where you can see their coins: The Perth Mint - Manufacturer and distributor of gold, silver and platinum collector coins, investment coins, commemorative coins and precious metal gifts.

[kyle2 10]

Personally as a collector of silver coins, I recomoned that you do a bit more reseach before spending more on a coin than the actual silver content is worth. Mintage volumes play a huge part. For instance a coin with a minatage of say 1000 would be worth much more than that of a coin with a mintage of 10000, due to its rarity. Higher mintages are rarely worth more than the actual silver inside. However, serious collectors might pay a higher premium due to a particular coins asthetic appeal or to complete a set.

[jwither 10]

Hi there,

 

What is everyones views on Australian collectors coins, like the silver and gold proof coins we have here? Would they be worth collecting or is it more of an Australian market than an international one?

 

This is the site where you can see their coins: The Perth Mint - Manufacturer and distributor of gold, silver and platinum collector coins, investment coins, commemorative coins and precious metal gifts.

 

What is your definition of "worth collecting"? When I hear this question, it is usually in the context of making money as an alternative "investment".

 

I am familiar with the Perth Mint but have no detailed knowledge on either the scarcity or demand for their product. If the mintages are relatively low and the premiums to spot are not that "high", then they MIGHT be worth considering. Otherwise, I would say, probably not.

 

From what I know, premiums on Perth Mint coins are not particularly low, though I cannot say whether they are or are not significantly above average. I believe they are certainly higher than say, US American Silver and Gold Eagle issues.

 

As for scarcity, to be considered "low", I would say that the mintage would probably have to be at most in the four digits (less than 10,000) for a market like Australia and maybe much less.

 

The other thing I would add is that, though these are considered collectibles, I would expect that a significant number of NON-collectors buy them as well as the casual collector. In the US, its primarily the graded (NGC and PCGS PR-70) coins that bring a premium or specific dates (such as the 1995-W mint mark) that have any appreciation worth mentioning versus the original premium to bullion. (In other words, the prices might have gone up, but most of it is because of the metal content and not the coin). I would expect that most of the long time or more dedicated collectors of Australian coinage would rather buy the pre-decimal specimens.

[Guest Guest]

The other thing I would add is that, though these are considered collectibles, I would expect that a significant number of NON-collectors buy them as well as the casual collector. In the US, its primarily the graded (NGC and PCGS PR-70) coins that bring a premium or specific dates (such as the 1995-W mint mark) that have any appreciation worth mentioning versus the original premium to bullion. (In other words, the prices might have gone up, but most of it is because of the metal content and not the coin). I would expect that most of the long time or more dedicated collectors of Australian coinage would rather buy the pre-decimal specimens.

Spot on John.

 

You will find dozens of the Perth Mint Silver and Gold coins being auctioned on eBay - often at a loss from the price they were bought at. They are not collectable just "pretty" and as John says any profit being made is linked to the value of the silver or gold in the coin. Despite being low numbers they are not, in my opinion, a good investment although to be fair the Perth Mint brochures which arrive on my doorstep every second week push the aesthetics (prettiness) of the coin over the "collectable value".

 

Sought after Australian coins like the 1930 1d attract prices well into five figures while you can buy Australian gold sovereigns from the 1870s etc.. for a little more than the gold price.

 

A few weeks ago I saw a set of 25 silver South African stamps being sold on BoB for little more than their silver price despite the sets being "rare". In my early collecting days I paid ZAR25 a stamp for 25 months (still have that complete set) - it is, without doubt, the worst investment I have made in coins/collectables. And a good expensive lesson for me - ZAR25 was a lot of money in the late 1970s! Although not coins I put them, silver stamps, in the same category as the Perth Mint's very expensive "bullion coins". Much better investment to buy boring silver or gold bars from them if you want toninvest in these metals.

 

See this link: http://www.perthmint.com.au/metalprices.aspx

 

Kind regards

 

Scott Balson

[jwither 10]

I absolutely would buy bullion metal over these "collector" coins. Its a vastly better buy.

 

I think highly of the Perth Mint and as storage facility for larger amounts, it ranks second on my list behind the SafeWealth Group's Safestore system. But one of the problems with it is that if the buyer wants segregated storage, the last time I checked, they would have to pay a fabrication premium of about 15% or $2.70 USD an ounce at todays prices. That is an excessive mark-up which I am not willing to pay. This same premium also applies to buying bars and coins that are stored elsewhere.

[ThomasMueller 10]

Hello,

 

I have not been to Africa nor to Australia vet. But recently I bought two Australian gold coins depicting a turtle and the other one a kangaroo. They have the form of an ingot, face value of 20 respectively 25 AUD and a weight of 5 or 10 grams fine gold.

 

What did I pay for these Australian issues? The spot price of gold, nothing more. I got them from a wholesale coindealer from Austria. This was much cheaper than buying them directly from Perth Mint. So I didn´t pay any numismatic or collector`s premium at all.

 

Numismatic value? My Australian gold coins are dated 2009, the mintage figures aren´t released so for. But the 2008 gold issues of the turtle dreaming had a mintage of about 1.000 pieces (per issue). The future will show if they have a "collectable value".

 

These turtle and kangaroo gold ingot cois are (of course) very "pretty" and could be a nice birthday or Christmas present... They have the bullion value of gold and are very nice!

[barbaro 10]

Thanks for the replies...

 

I asked this question as i have seen an australian coin that interests me, it's limited to 7500 but the thing that interests me most is that it is for the 75th aniversary of Phar Lap. I don't know if any of you know of the great race horse. I have a horse racing background so that's my reason for being intereted in it. Shipped to my doorstep it would cost about R750

 

Am i being silly to attach sentimental value to a coin like this?

[Guest Guest]

I think if you waited you would be able to buy this coin on eBay in years to come for a fraction of that price (depending of course on what happens to the price of silver). I am bullish on silver.

 

ZAR750 is over Au$100 with silver being just over Au$20 at the moment. (ie if you bought five ounces of silver and sat on that you could probably buy at least four of these coins on online auction houses in years to come).

 

Kind regards

 

Scott Balson

[ThomasMueller 10]

Even if a limited issue of a maximum of 7.500 pieces seems little, this is very much for an Australian coin because they issue so many commemorative coins each year.

 

The 2007 Phar Lap silver coin is in stock at Europe`s greatest coindealer: Münzen-Zentrum Kovacic in Vienna. Local price: 59 Euros (including 20 % Austrian sales tax).

Export price (outside EU): 49,16 €

 

If you need that coin right now that`s one thing. With a mintage of 7.500 pieces I am sure it will be offered for a fractional at ebay from time to time...

Like Scott said, if you can wait, you will find it for cheap!

[jwither 10]

A mintage of 7500 is not particularly low at all for a non-circulating Australian coin. For a modern coin of this type, its probably the equivalent of one in the United States which has one ten times as large, given the likely similarity in the buyer profile. That is not remotely scarce, especially since close to 100% of them will remain and in their original state.

 

I own nine of the $200 gold coins from the late late 1980's to mid-1990's. The reason I bought them is because I paid LESS than the FX equivalent face value and only slightly more than spot. I'm not sure if they are still legal tender, but even if not, they are still gold. If they are legal tender, then in the remote occurrence that gold content fell below the face value, something which I do not expect to occur, it would provide an additional hedge.

[barbaro 10]

Thank you for all the comments and advice.

[Guest Guest]

A 2 oz Kookaburra silver proof just sold on eBay for US$52...

 

1995..2 oz KOOKABURRA SILVER PROOF..2 Ounces SILVER - eBay Decimal, Australian, Coins, Coins. (end time 25-Aug-10 13:36:59 AEST)

 

Would have cost a lot more in the original purchase from the Perth mint.

 

Kind regards

 

Scott Balson