60th Anniversary Of Bathurst Coin

Yep, along with my order for a Beavis coin, kids fluffy toy, a pair of socks, pencil and a tea strainer (wish they had pink ones). Oh well, it used to be fun. Just wondering how it will go from now on. What will be the next junk item they try and market as a collectable numismatic piece? Anniversary of cornflakes, Pal dog food, Bunnings sausage sizzle, peanut butter...seems like anything goes these days and once it's available to the ebay sellers prior to release, people go nuts and pay stupid prices. I will watch with interest but won't be buying.

Yes, I believe Canada is to blame for this plague of coloured "coins"

But with themes like Mr Squiggle, The Wiggles, Vegemite, Dinosaurs, Big Things and 3 (yes 3 ) series of A-Z coins the RAM/Woolworths/Australia Post have sunk into a mire their reputation will never recover from.

After 40+ years of relatively painless and easy dealing with the Australian mint I've now been having issues getting any allocation of coins from the Mint since 2020.

To be honest the situation has improved a little from a year ago, back then you would be on hold or in a queue for 12+ hours only to be told the stock has now been sold out. At least now you can see stock is sold out across the "authorised dealers" within 5 minutes saving you from wasted time on hold......

I think it is true that unfortunately the mint no longer follows its charter of supporting coin collectors. It would appear to have gone the way of all government agencies and focused on providing a financial return to the government. I think that is why the mint secretly is happy for every junk coin to be taken off its hand by these ebay merchants. I really don't understand how a 40,000 mintage coin sells out in 5 mins (Bathurst 60th Anniversary coin). Maybe is is just sour grapes on my part.

I live in perpetual optimism (or complete denial) that one day soon the RAM will fix its distribution problem and collectors will once again be able to purchase coins. Until then I am on pause with chasing any coins from the RAM.

Welcome Bob-77! Yes it's near impossible to keep up with so many mints turning out so many coin types, special celebration, commemorative, limited edition, colorized, whatever. There is a market for them though I don't like many of them. Collectors choose what they want. I really like the quality and beauty of the Perth Mint silver/gold coins and have a few koala, kangaroo, emu, the lunar year series, never seen a milk spot on them like other mints.

If anyone missed out, head to Bathurst on the big race day, Repco will have 300 available.

It appears that the "distribution problem" is of the RAM's own making! I've just seen a letter from Australia Post suggesting that the early release of "big things" coins on ebay is nothing to do with them and does not affect their claim of a 1 in 10 chance of scoring a colored coin in a tube purchased from them. Woolies also claim that early releases of their promotional coins on ebay is the RAM's problem.

I see at least one ebay seller is offering bags of 20 "big things" coins that are allegedly genuine RAM bags - which are NOT offered for sale by either AP or RAM. So how does someone get such bags to sell?

The "distribution problem" suits the RAM because it creates a false demand for collectible coins that are seen as investments instead. Not for me; I will stick to circulating coins from now on.

Thanks for the heads up!

Yes,actual cost is $25 with $10 shipping and limit of 1.

As I posted before I can't see this ebay feeding frenzy continuing already down to around $60.
Interest in pre-dec Coins is slipping with the younger generations as aggressive marketing from the Mints continues.

A couple of Dealers I still converse with think the Mints are killing the Golden Goose,a few years down the track when punters find they can only sell their fancy silver/gold Coins for melt there will be major dramas.