News & Research
Australian Rare Coin News & Research
We research and write regularly about the history and rarity of the items we handle. We write about news in the Australian numismatic market as it unfolds. We also write on what it takes to be a successful collector.
Explore the links on the left-hand side to see what we've covered in the past - if we haven't written about your exact area of interest yet, please click this link to let us know - we'll keep your request in mind when planning future articles.
2024-08-28 12:00:00
Decimal Coin Rolls - A 50-Year-Old Market is Roaring
August 28, 2024 | Andrew Crellin
In 2024, the market for rolls of Australian decimal coin rolls is roaring - it's as strong now as it's ever been.
Although the practice of issuing circulating coins in rolls pretty much stopped way back in the 1990s, decimal coin rolls are so popular with collectors these days that...
2024-08-03 12:00:00
Specialized Knowledge Beats General Knowledge Every Time
August 3, 2024 | Andrew Crellin
I had a client ask me earlier today "You must meet a lot of cranks in your business - how many people have the wrong idea about the rarity of the coins they have?"
His question reminded me of observations I see regularly - most of us make many of life's decisions based on impre...
2024-05-31 12:00:00
Will The Legacy We Leave Be The Legacy We Intend?
May 31, 2024 | Andrew Crellin
I've been a dealer in rare coins for close to three decades now. Over that time, I've spoken with thousands of people who have thought, even if only for a moment, they might have something of interest they can leave behind for their family.
I have also met collectors who have spent thei...
2024-05-04 12:00:00
Auctions, Social Proof and Outright Panic
May 4, 2024 | Andrew Crellin
Auctions for rare coins in 2024 are vastly different to what they were just 5 to 10 years ago.
Until recently, dealers and collectors would invariably travel to wherever an auction was held, they'd personally inspect the items they had an interest in and would bid on any items tha...
2024-04-06 12:00:00
The 1852 Adelaide Ingots - Innovation That Averted Economic Catastrophe
May 26, 2024 | Andrew Crellin
The Adelaide Ingots are numismatic items that most collectors only see or read about in a Rennik’s catalogue. Even though they’re described in some detail, I’d hazard to suggest that most collectors are only notionally aware of their existence and not necessarily their unique place in Australia’s...
2024-03-03 08:35:00
How to Use Your Wish List and Notify Me
March 3, 2024 | Andrew Crellin
So it turns out our website has a powerful feature that a number of our savvy customers have been using for a while - you can set up your own personal "wish list".
We've never publicised it, so it's a credit to those of you who worked out how to set it up and have been using it!
...
2024-03-02 12:00:00
Coin Collecting - What Are the Numbers?
March 2, 2024 | Andrew Crellin
As I write this, we're in the final days of processing a "rather large" collection of Australian decimal coins that we took delivery of just after Christmas 2023, and it got me thinking about ways we can help ourselves as collectors end up where we want to be.
When I say this collection...
2023-12-22 00:00:00
The 1893 Sydney Proof Sovereign - A Tangible Link to Australia's Most Enigmatic Gold Coins
January 8, 2024 | Andrew Crellin
The 1893 Sydney Proof sovereign is a rare and historic coin - it exhibits technical characteristics that set it apart from gold coins struck for circulation by the Sydney Mint during this era, and may well be linked to the production of two of Australia’s most elusive gold coins - the ...