Some of the most valuable coins in the world come from the United States, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still plenty of coins worthy of your collection coming out of other nations. Australia, in particular, has several coins that are fetching a pretty price on the market these days. Here’s a look at a few of the most valuable.
1930 Penny
This is the most well-known of Australia’s rare coins. The history is a bit spotty with regards to why this particular penny is so rare, but the general consensus is that there were pennies produced in that year, but they were likely part of a test run for a new die. When the coins weren’t ordered for that particular year, they never went into mass production, so all that is available is the batch of test coins left over from the minting process. These coins can vary widely in price at auction, and much of the value is determined by the quality. Look for detail in the band around the king’s crown to get a sense of the quality.
20-Cent with Wavy Baseline
Since Australia introduced the 20-cent coin back in 1966, the formatting of the two has always been the same: with a straight line for the bottom of the digit. However, the very first batch created featured a wavy line for the base. Although these coins were introduced into circulation in that year, very few of them came from that first, wavy batch. It is quite rare to find these particular coins at auction, but they can often fetch several thousand dollars when they are of good quality.
$1/10-Cent Mule
In the year 2000, the Royal Australian Mint mistakenly used the wrong die for printing $1 coins, using the 10-cent die instead. This resulted in a double ring around the edges of the coin, rather than a single one. Because there is scarcely more than a millimeter between the sizes of the two coins, no one detected the mistake, and the coins entered circulation. Today, these coins typically go for a few thousand dollars at auction, though the specific price depends on the quality of the coin.
Beef Up Your Coin Collection
Here at Roswell Gold, Silver & Coin, we can help you out with Australian collectible coins and those from just about any other country. Whether you are looking to expand your personal coin collection or wish to unload some collectible coins from an inheritance, we will be glad to assist you. We can validate the authenticity of your coins, evaluate their quality and appraise their value. We do everything we can to provide fair, accurate price quotes for the coins we buy and sell to ensure you get good value. Stop by and see us today to see what we have in stock, as our selection is constantly changing.