The canonisation of Mary Mackillop to our very own Saint Mary has brought huge public and media interest recently with the event taking place on October 17 2010 at St Peter's Basilica in Rome with Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed Mary's sainthood during the Canonisation Mass. Over 8000 pilgrims from around the world attended the ceremony.

When the Royal Australian Mint released the Mary MacKillop dollar coin in 2008 in their "Inspirational Australians" series it was expected that Mary would become a saint and through the hard work of the Catholic Church this has eventuated. The popularity of this coin has seen it rise in value from issue price of $12.95 to around $70 (with McDonald's catalogue 17th ed not reflecting this increase).

With Mary soon to become Australia's first Saint The Perth Mint unveiled a series of issues at Mary Mackillop Place on Thursday 30th September 2010. This was a first precious metal coin program for the Perth Mint releasing a gold and silver example.

7,500, 99.9% silver, 40.6mm, commemorative $1 coins were struck onto 1oz silver flans and issued for $92.50. A .999 gold version 1/10th oz and 16.6mm in diameter was also struck with a limited mintage of 2,010 coins for $275. These dollar types are non-standard sizes, the standard circulating dollar being 25mm.

The design depicts a portrait of Saint Mary on the reverse with SAINT MARY MACKILLOP FIRST AUSTRALIAN SAINT 2010 surrounding her. Both coins also display the Perth Mint's "P" mintmark. The obverse is the standard effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley

As the catalogues started to roll into the mailbox I could see a trend occuring. They were advertising these new coins at issue prices but last minute bold SOLD OUT was appearing. The proof gold coin had not only sold out, but if you could get it, the price was around the $600 mark. The silver proof also achieving the $140 odd now it's also sold out. Now keeping in mind I am writing this only a couple of weeks after their release and when Saint Mary was canonised we'd expect this price to settle some over the coming months.

Collectors often ask what new release coins to buy, which coin will be the one big winner or money maker for the year. It's often very hard to look into that crystal ball with most NCLT releases available on the secondary market in the months or years after below issue price. This was the one, sorry to those (myself also) who missed the boat on this one.

The last release this time by Australia Post brings an interesting concept to coin collecting. A coin shaped stamp, legal tender for 55c!! I'd have to say this is the first 55c coin we've seen, try spending that -oh you can't even post a letter for that now those of you behind with snail mail practice. Collectors out there correct me if I am wrong. The coin shaped stamp even displays on the obverse the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of QEII.

This set comprises of the 1/2oz silver coin shaped stamp and a 60c commmemorative stamp both housed in protective capsules inside a presentation box that opens up allowing the coin and stamp to be displayed. It was released for $89.95 but is now sold out also.

Australia 50c 150th Running of the Melbourne Cup

The Royal Australian Mint has released another uncirculated Non Circulating Legal Tender (NCLT) 50c coin into the collector market corresponding with the 150th anniversary of the running of the Melbourne Cup. This dodecagonal 50c piece is the same material, weight and size as it's circulating friends but will not be released into circulation. Made from cupro-nickel which is 75% copper and 25% nickel this coin is 31.51mm in diameter and weighs 15.55g. It is dated 2010 and features the standard Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse.

The reverse is designed by RAM designer Wojciech Pietranik. The design commemorates the 150th running of the prestigious annual horse race, the Melbourne Cup held in Australia on the second Tuesday each November. It really is "the race that stops a nation" with many Australians stopping in their tracks at 3pm on race day to watch or listen to the event.

Wojciech's design depicts horses and jockeys crossing the finishing line at Flemington Racecourse, the venue for the cup race. The coin comes displayed in a capsule pushed into an informative card depicting champion thoroughbred Phar Lap. Both the card and coin were designed in collaboration with the Victorian Racing Club and feature elements of their trademarked logos. It is avalable for $8.95 issue price and at present is an unlimited mintage.

1994 50 cent Year of the Family pulled straight out of change

1994 celebrated International Year of the Family and was promoted by the release of a 50 cent coin into circulation by the Royal Australian Mint. This dodecagonal (12 sided) 31.51mm copper (75%) nickel (25%) coin weighed in at 15.55 grams with a plain edge.

The reverse depicts a family as would be drawn by a child and was designed by Carolyn Rosser, the winner of a nation-wide design competition held by the RAM. It also features the United Nations symbol for the event. The standard obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. A variation found in the dies used to strike these coins is the narrow date and wide date varieties.

20,830,800 of these coins were released into circulation. They also feature in the Mint and Proof year sets for 1994. A PNC released jointly with Australia post was the first official decimal PNC. 148,393 of these PNC's were released on April 14th 1994.

1988 First Fleet Bicentenary 50c

In 1988 Australia celebrated 200 years since the arrival of the First Fleet. Captain Arthur Phillip led the party of 11 ships to the founding of Sydney and the colonisation of New South Wales. Arriving between 18-20th January 1788 1,487 men, women, children and convicts landed to establish the first European colony in Australia.

There were many events around the country planned for the Bicentenary in 1988 including a 50 cent coin released into circulation by the Royal Australian Mint. This dodecagonal (12 sided) 31.51mm copper (75%) nickel (25%) coin weighed in at 15.55 grams with a plain edge. The reverse depicts an uncharted map of New Holland (Australia), the stars of the southern cross and a ship of the First Fleet. This coin is often nicknamed the "Tall Ships" coin when found in change. It was designed by Michael Tracey. The standard obverse for 1988 was the Raphael Maklouf portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the last year this portrait was used.

8,998,800 of these coins were released into circulation in 1988. They also feature in the Masterpieces in Silver issues of 1988 and 1989 in sterling silver proof, the 1989 issue being a 1989 dated 50c. Mint and Proof year sets for 1988 also feature this Tall ships coin.

A one dollar was also released for the Bicentenary in 1988.

The next ANDA Coin and Banknote show is on in Canberra Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th November 2010. Collectors were hoping with fingers crossed that because of the new Royal Australian Mint CEO, Mr Ross MacDiarmid and the proximity of this show to the RAM itself that the Mint might take this opportunity to bring out the mobile coin press to this next ANDA show in Canberra.
Well....it has been confirmed both on the ANDA website and in the October issue of The Australasian Coin and Banknote Magazine that the RAM will be dusting off the mobile press and bringing it along.
The mobile press was last seen at ANDA Fairs in 2008 and we can only assume that budgets and the ill health of former CEO, the late Janine Murphy were the reasons for it's discontinuance.
The RAM will bring pre-struck uncirculated 2010 100 Years of Decimal Coinage One Dollars without any mintmarks, privymarks or counterstamps and show visitors will have the opportunity to press the button to strike a C counterstamp on their special show dollar. It will then be housed in an informative card.
This is said to be a limited opportunity for this show only and the RAM has no plans to continue the mobile press at any future shows.
In the past there have been rare cases of "accidents" with the mobile press where coins have been stamped twice, not stamped at all or stamp doubling, with all of these errors commanding a high premium.