Posts Tagged ‘Australian Coins’
The most collectible Sovereign of the year…
The Gold Sovereign is undoubtedly one of the most famous gold coins in the world. It’s a classic piece of coinage that is coveted around the world and is highly sought after every year by thousands of collectors.
But have you heard of a Piedfort Sovereign? They’re incredibly rare and are some of the most highly sought-after issues ever seen – demand for the first UK Piedfort Sovereign was so high that it sold out within 24 hours!
Now, to mark the Queen’s official 95th birthday, The Perth Mint has released what’s sure to be the most collectible and sought-after Sovereign of 2021, for these three key reasons…
1. Struck on the date of the Queen’s official 95th birthday – 12th June 2021
On Saturday 12th June 2021 it was expected that crowds would line The Mall waving flags as over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians came together in London in a great display of military precision to Troop the Colour and mark the official 95th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen.
This British royal tradition has been around since 1748, but the cruel irony of the coronavirus pandemic meant that it did not go ahead this year in its traditional format.
This unorthodox break in tradition will make commemoratives marking her official birthday even more sought-after – collectors do love an interesting back story.
Not only that, but date-struck coins are always in high demand – it sets them apart from regular Sovereigns. It’s the perfect way to forever capture a significant moment in time, and the Queen’s milestone 95th birthday is an occasion for the history books that every serious collector will want to mark.
This coin’s collectability is further increased by the inclusion of a special one-year-only “95” privy mark for the Queen’s birthday.
2. Superior, highly collectable specification
In the 12th century Piedforts were considered prestige pieces and ownership was often used to signify a person’s wealth and power. Today, Piedforts continue to be limited issues and striking of such pieces is reserved strictly for the most important events.
You can really see the difference in thickness of the Piedfort when compared to the standard issue.
Struck on 22 Carat Gold double thickness blanks struck to a Proof finish, Piedforts Sovereigns are twice the weight and contain twice the amount of precious metal as their standard coin counterparts. They’re some of the finest examples of coin craftsmanship you’ll ever see. What’s more, they have tiny edition limits and consequently fast sell-out rates. This makes them some of the most collectable coins around.
3. JUST 150 struck – fast sell-out all but guaranteed
I saved the most significant point for last. JUST 150 Piedfort Sovereigns have been hand-selected by The Perth Mint to be struck on Her Majesty’s official birthday. That makes this issue twice as limited as last year’s Australian Piedfort Sovereign which sold out within weeks of release.
There is no doubt that there will be high demand for this new Piedfort Sovereign, even more so when you consider that it’s been struck on the date of the Queen’s 95th birthday.
What’s more, we’ve seen phenomenal demand from collectors looking to mark the Queen’s birthday this year. The UK Gold Proof Sovereign issued to mark the occasion, with an edition limit of 7,995, completely SOLD OUT!
It’s clear we will see a fast sell-out of this Piedfort Sovereign, and it will go down in numismatic history as the most collectible Sovereign issue of 2021.
If you’re interested…
As official Perth Mint distributors we have secured a limited number of these special struck on the day Piedfort Sovereigns for UK collectors. Just 150 have been issued worldwide, making it twice as limited as last year’s sold out issue.
The struck on the day element of this coin makes it a piece of numismatic history and means it will be sought-after for years to come by knowledgeable collectors. With so few struck, your chances of owning one are very limited.
Unboxing a ‘snow globe’ coin inspired by Incan mythology…
This coin quite simply has to be seen to be believed.
And that’s exactly why I wanted to film this unboxing video to really highlight its exceptional specifications.
You see, the 2oz Silver coin in question has been inspired by Incan mythology and religion to tell the story of the Goddess of the Moon, Mama Quilla.
The highlight for me has to be the ‘snow globe’ centre that symbolises the moon, which after a little shake brings the coin to LIFE.
It’s proving SO popular that it’s already SOLD OUT at the Mint.
But luckily for you, I have 100 AVAILABLE… a TINY number when you consider how special this mesmerising coin is.
If you’re interested…
The countries that went Decimal long before the UK…
On 14th February 1971, the country went to bed with one currency, and woke with another. The following day, 15th February 1971, Britain went decimal. And this year marks the 50th anniversary of this monumental change.
The UK has been at the forefront of iconic and innovative coin designs throughout history. From King Edward III’s first gold coin which was introduced to the UK in 1344, to the experimental and iconic new designs seen on The Royal Mint’s latest issues.
But the UK wasn’t the first country to go decimal. In fact, it was rather slow in its conversion and was one of the last countries in the world to go decimal. And the growing pressure of a world around it changing to Decimal currency would eventually push the UK to make the switch…
Who was the first?
Russia is considered the first country to go decimal, as under Tsar Peter the Great, the Russian Ruble was introduced with a sub-division of 100 Kopeks. It wasn’t until almost 100 years later in 1794 that France followed suit with the Franc, and the Netherlands was the third European country to go decimal in 1817 with the Dutch Guilder. Impressively, there are now only two countries in the world that are still using non-decimal currency – Madagascar and Mauritania (and interestingly both countries’ currencies are sub-divided into units of 5).
What about the Commonwealth?
By the 1960s, half the world had gone decimal and a number of Commonwealth countries had also made the switch to a decimal currency. Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa all turned to decimal throughout the 1960s giving rise to a powerful decimalisation movement in the UK. As the world around it converted to a modern decimal currency, it seemed inevitable that the UK would soon have to follow suit.
By the time the UK eventually got to Decimal Day, the majority of the world had already made the switch. That includes the likes of the US, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, The Philippines, Nova Scotia, Bolivia, China, Brazil, Jamaica, Fiji, and many more.
When D-Day finally came…
When Decimal Day finally arrived in 1971, many countries around the world had long since made the switch. For the UK, although the wheels had been set in motion with the introduction of the Florin 120 years prior, it wasn’t until 1968 that decimal coins officially circulated. The 10p and 5p coins were issued alongside their pre-decimal siblings, the Florin and Shilling, for almost 3 years before Decimal Day. Importantly, the first 50p coin entered our circulation in 1969, ultimately becoming the collector’s staple denomination. Fittingly, it is also the denomination that The Royal Mint have chosen to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Decimalisation this year.
These early introductions helped the public warm to decimalisation and after seeing the world around them change. 15th February 1971 marked a long foreseen, yet inevitable event for the public – the biggest for UK coinage in over a thousand years! It altered the lives of everyone in the UK, remember these were the days before bank cards, and people had to learn a whole new currency! It is certainly an important moment in the history books.
If you’re interested: A NEW DateStamp™ has been authorised!
An original UK 1969 50p coin has been paired alongside a BRAND NEW 2021 UK 50th Anniversary of Decimalisation BU 50p to mark the upcoming 50th anniversary. Each will be officially postmarked by Royal Mail on the day, preserving your coins in a moment in time. Just 2,021 50th Anniversary of Decimalisation 50p DateStamp™ pairs have been authorised, act NOW to pre-order yours.
Click here to find out why you need to secure yours now!
