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 Replies: 16 / Views: 2,708 |
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Valued Member
Australia
382 Posts |
Not due for release until 8.30am 28 Sep but as usual already selling on ebay the day before. Price advertised by RAM is $15 but buyers already paying over $70. RAM do not seem to worry about these early sales (or the FACT that ebay sellers can somehow get early and apparently easy and regular access to these coins - same sellers each release). I can't help wonder if this is a deliberate marketing ploy by the RAM. If we end up being a cashless society then what is there for the RAM to do except for minting junk coins for collectors? It looks like the market for these 'commemorative' coins has been artificially inflated by this 'unofficial' early release of limited edition collector coins. I wonder how it will go if we end up cashless? I have asked questions of RAM but cannot get any answers. Also asked questions of Australia Post regarding the claim of 1 in 10 chance of finding a colored big thing coin despite numerous colored coins being sold on ebay PRIOR to release - again no answer. I think these organisations do not care because they are happy with the situation where their junk coins are being turned into highly sought after collectable coins. ebay sellers win, RAM wins, Australia Post win, Woolworths win, collectors get the raw deal. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1985 Posts |
Maybe you should put your order in early for the 65th Anniversary of Bathurst coin.  |
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Valued Member
 Australia
382 Posts |
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. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5238 Posts |
Canada's RCM is almost as bad-we have Superman, Star Trek and Bugs Bunny. I focus on real coins, not the giftware the mints put out. I've given up on trying to make sense out of most of this stuff. There are a lot of real coins in Australia and elsewhere for you to collect. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1985 Posts |
Quote:Canada's RCM is almost as bad 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. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5238 Posts |
Yes, sadly, I think that the RCM started this whole mess rolling. I can assure the CCF that I was in no way to blame. The output was quite modest until the early 1990s. |
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New Member
Australia
1 Posts |
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. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1364 Posts |
 to the forum Bob-77! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2213 Posts |
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. Edited by livingwater
09/27/2023 10:39 pm
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Moderator
 United States
23472 Posts |
When livving in Canberra, (many years ago) I was able to go to the mint and get some early releases. Guess the times have not changed.
rggoodie
aka Richard
"catch em doing something right"
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
9352 Posts |
If anyone missed out, head to Bathurst on the big race day, Repco will have 300 available.
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Moderator
United States
187446 Posts |
to the Community, Bob-77! |
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Valued Member
Australia
382 Posts |
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. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
9352 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1364 Posts |
Quote:
These coins are back on the RAM website if you missed out Thanks for the heads up!  |
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Valued Member
Australia
382 Posts |
So glad to see RAM releasing more of those coins for collectors. Same coins still selling on ebay for around $70 . Wouldn't like to be one of those buy at $70 when they realise that they could have saved $55....makes that investment a bit harder to cash in on. Why couldn't the RAM just release more coins at $15 to cater for collectors in the beginning? RAM just keep messing with the collectors by doing this. Those poor sods who paid for $70 coins are going to take a long time to earn their money back. Hardly a good investment and not a good strategy by the RAM to create a market. They just keep p***ing the genuine collectors off. Very sad. |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,708 |
Posted 09/27/2023 06:05 am
