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 Replies: 19 / Views: 1,957 |
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Valued Member
Australia
185 Posts |
For something a little different :- I'd like to know everyone's list is of what they consider to be the most valuable coins - 20c, 50c, etc.
I consider the 1973 50c in perfect Choice Uncirculated/Gem condition as my # 1, followed by the 2015 Proof 50c with the " C " Mint mark from the 2015 50th anniversary RAM dual set which also contains a standard 1966 50c.
The 1968 20c in perfect Choice Uncirculated/Gem condition as my # 1 followed by the 1971 20c in perfect Choice Uncirulated/ Gem condititon.
I realise, for example, that there weren't any 20c Platypus coins issued into circulation by the RAM from 1983 to 1993 along with the 1995.
Your lists would be interesting to know.
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Moderator
 United States
187582 Posts |
Interesting topic, but I can understand why many may be reluctant to provide such a list.  |
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Valued Member
 Australia
185 Posts |
jbuck
Hmm, why should there be any reluctance ?
As I understand it, this fabulous open forum is for anyone who wants to contribute by sharing their knowledge for us all to, hopefully, expand our own knowledge.from.
I'm still curious if some collectors who have many years of coin collecting experience and are, therefore, very knowledgeable and would like to share their thoughts about what they think are the most worthwhile Australian decimal coins to have.
Surely, is the eg. Red Poppy really the only # 1 coin to have ?
Yes, I have a few that I bought over ten years ago but at the time it wasn't part of any herd mentality. It was to keep my collection up to date.
I stopped buying anything more in 2023 because I decided I've had enough ( after 60 + years of passionate collecting ) as a result of the RAM ruining their own market with far too many useless offerings.
The next $1 coin issued by the RAM could easily be " water has been discovers to be wet ". or " the sun rises in the West "..
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Moderator
United States
187582 Posts |
Quote:
Hmm, why should there be any reluctance ? Being afraid of being wrong? I only have a small number of (common) Australasian coins, so I have not really studied them. I do not feel like I can contribute to such a list. Maybe the regulars will chime in now that we have had some back and forth.  Quote:
The next $1 coin issued by the RAM could easily be " water has been discovers to be wet ". or " the sun rises in the West ".. That is a good jab.  |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1364 Posts |
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I stopped buying anything more ... as a result of the RAM ruining their own market with far too many useless offerings.
x2  |
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Pillar of the Community
Germany
1062 Posts |
I have 25 Australian coins, so.... going to be hard.
I have two two dollars, one from 1988 and one from 2006.
But they're the most expensive modern ones.
I have two florins, 1954 and 1952 which seem to be worth more, also a one shilling from 1925.
So... not sure which is the most expensive, but probably one of those last three.
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Valued Member
Australia
185 Posts |
Hello all
I'm surprised that nobody has listed any of what they consider to be some of the better value low mintage coins are.
This is intended to be only a reasonable guide for us all to find what our coin collecting journey has taught us.
My enjoyable journey eventually taught me a great deal about which coins to buy and which coin issues usually seem to be only " flavour of the month " coins.
I found that by buying 7 to 10 or so of the annual RAM UNC sets over many years has been beneficial because many of these sets contain coins only available in the sets - like the 2024 pointy "A's " 50c which can only be found in around half of the 67,795 sets produced by the RAM, This is not that much more than the very low mintage 30,000 2005 CoA 50c produced.
Does anyone else have this method of collecting ?
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Valued Member
Australia
185 Posts |
Oops ! my previous post should have read the 2004 UNC mint set
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
9357 Posts |
$2 coins with the C mint mark, seem to be much sort after and command good money. These are probably my 2 highest value $2 coins. 2012-C red poppy  2014-C remembrance  Edited by triggersmob
12/11/2025 9:46 pm
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Valued Member
Australia
382 Posts |
This is an interesting question and it made me think about what I really want to achieve from my collecting journey. For the most of it, I have been enjoying it. My aim has been to create a set of uncirculated decimal coins that have been released for circulation and to pass those sets on to the next generation of my family.
Along the way I have collected pre-decimal coins and foreign coins as well as some non-circulating legal tender coins found in circulation. I enjoy the 'chase' of finding coins to fill the gaps in those collections. I have also started collecting some silver coins and have focused on silver versions of the circulating coins. I'm trying to resist the temptation to buy proof versions of them too (not really working so far).
Like some previous posters here I have stopped buying new releases from the RAM. Their apparent desperation to gouge money from collectors by releasing excessive amounts of junk coins is making it too expensive to keep a complete set going. I know some releases such as the recent Big Things have only two circulating coins from a set of 12 coins but I am not prepared to buy the extras. Same for the AFL and Birthday Cake coins. I see that some of those releases are for sale from dealers for drastically reduced prices so maybe there is a lesson for the RAM to learn there? However, I sometimes feel that if I only have two out of 12 coins from that 'set' then my overall set isn't complete. It is just something that I have to live with. I will not be buying the junk coins.
I used to collect stamps and have literally 1000s of them but stopped when Australia Post pumped out too many just to gouge money from collectors. The RAM is going the same way.
So for me, the most valuable coins for my collection are the ones that make my collection of coins released for circulation complete. The errors or variety coins are what I would like to add but the chances of finding any in circulation are low and the cost of buying them is prohibitively high. Anyway my search continues and I thoroughly enjoy it. Happy hunting everyone.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
9357 Posts |
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I used to collect stamps and have literally 1000s of them but stopped when Australia Post pumped out too many just to gouge money from collectors. The RAM is going the same way. Ditto |
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Valued Member
Australia
185 Posts |
SallyG and tiggersmob, et al
The collecting of the many, especially the gutter strips, of the Australia Post stamps was fun for a good while until, like you, I got fed up.
My pursuit of decimal coins was very enjoyable for a long time until I began to realise, as you probably did, that from around the mid 2000's the RAM started to issue certain coins - especially 20c and 50c - where you had to buy two separate sets of the same year to complete that year's set. The 2004 UNC mint set is a good example where if I wanted both the 2004 pointy " A's " 50c and the flat " A's " 50c coins in Ch Unc/Gem condition,I'd have to buy two different sets ( Luckily, I bought multiple sets of all years anyway)
Then there was the 2004 Proof set :- some of proof set have the pointy " A's " 50c while others have the lower mintage Flat " A's 50c.
I didn't mind getting both 2004 Proof sets ....but then there was the fabulous 2004 Wedding sets with the brilliant satin like finish on all the coins. So I gradually bought each of th 2002- 2009 Wedding sets primarily for the 50c coins. From 2010 the RAM stopped
minting the Wedding sets with all the coins in them having only the standard finish on them. There was also all the baby mint sets with each having a " special " themed $1 coin in them. I wasn't interested.
The real most valuable coins, for me at least, is the journey.finding them, along with the sense of achievement it can bring.
SallyG, you have such a vast and varied collection : have you got any of the scarcer " fat letters " 1993 50c. I came across two while making up complete decimal sets ( where $ wise possible ) for each of my 5 grandsons.
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Valued Member
Australia
382 Posts |
Hi Squaremealroundplate, I checked my 1993 50c coins and nothing really stood out like the fat letters of the 2001 Federation 50c coins. I tried taking a picture of the coins with fatter letters along with a normal coin (bottom right). Unfortunately I couldn't get a nice clear picture though. The coin at the top left does have fatter letters but they are not as prominent as the letters on some 2001 coins.  I will check my mint sets and see if they are different. |
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Valued Member
Australia
185 Posts |
SallyG
it's more the date of the 1993 50c with the ' 93 being slightly " fatter " and you're right to be checking your 1993 UNC mint sets.
Thanks. I wasn't aware that some of the 2001 Federation 50c have " fatter" lettering. I'll have to check my 2001 Federation 50c closely, as I only realised at the time that some of the 50c had varying degrees of raised rims, especially the Queensland 50c.
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Valued Member
Australia
382 Posts |
Hi Squaremealroundplate, Here is an example of a 2001 fat letter 50c with an ordinary 50c on the left. Sorry for the blurry pic. The fat letters are very easy to see with the coins in hand. Anyway, nothing of interest found in my mint sets. The hunt continues.  |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
625 Posts |
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The next $1 coin issued by the RAM could easily be " water has been discovers to be wet ". or " the sun rises in the West "..
I'd be interested in the West rising sun coin  Obviously the 1992 $1 Mob of roos @ 8,000 minted is valuable. Perhaps the 2023 Memorial coins from The Creatures of the Deep @ 7,102 (except the $1) are one of my most valuable coins going into the future.  |
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Replies: 19 / Views: 1,957 |
Posted 12/05/2025 08:49 am
