At the start of May this year the Royal Australian Mint set out to tease collectors offering snippets of information on a new release coin. What was this coin going to be? The only information collectors had was from the inside cover of their Mint Issue brochure. This information read:
"To mark the completion of the mint's historic refurbishment project, we will unveil a new master mintmark coin which will be in use in 2010. This coin will be available to purchase as a shop exclusive from May 2009 for 3 months."
I personally attended the newly refurbished Mint building and new giftshop mid-May only to be fobbed off by ill-informed staff about a delay with this master mintmark issue. Many collector friends of mine through various phone calls and visits themselves were also fobbed off in a similar way.
This left the whole issue up in the air. No one knows what the coin actually is or when it will be available. Speculation followed with rumours being that the coin would be available fom early June, only be able to be purchased from the RAM giftshop and for $9.95. No ideas even on what this "master mintmark" coin would be.
Sketchy details from the RAM then emerged that there had been packaging delays with this special release. Because of this delay the coin would be available from the mint shop and also through their mail order and internet sales system. Information about this would be provided in the July Mint Issue brochure.
Finally after a long wait the RAM issued a press release on Friday 26th June 2009. Make yourself available at the RAM for the special release of the master mintmark coin. Only on July 3rd-6th will this coin be available from the mintshop. On these dates only will the RAM counterstamp the master mintmark coin for visitors.
As per the RAM press release here's what's going to happen. The C counterstamped kangaroo mintmarked mob of roos dollar will be available to purchase after the event from selected dealers. However, it will NOT be available from the mint shop online nor their mail order system. The kangaroo mintmarked mob of roos dollar -the master mintmark coin- (without the C counterstamp) will be available through the mint's ordering system.
Are you confused yet? I certainly am! Until this coin is actually released I don't think anyone can say for certain what it is actually going to be. For the Royal Australian Mint to give collectors 7 days notice to attend a special event to get a coin they desire for their collections is ludicrous. On top of this the RAM hasn't done their homework holding with their event conflicting with both the Melbourne ANDA coin show and Downie's coin auction!
Collectors have certainly been put on a back foot by this with the RAM not making things easy. Personally I am very disappointed that I can't attend such an important event because of such poor planning and ridiculously short notice. Boo to the RAM.
Posted by harrisk at June 29, 2009 5:54 PM
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