One of the beauties of coin collecting is that there are no hard and fast rules that determine what you should and shouldn’t collect. One way of collecting coins is collecting a ‘type’ set of coins. A type set of coins comprises an exemplary type of each coin from a series of coins. What exactly makes up a type set is open to a great deal of debate, but as I mentioned, it’s your collection so you can define it.

Australian 1952 Threepence

I thought it would be worthwhile examining a series of coins to determine (loosely) what a type set for this series would comprise. I’ve decided to focus on the Australian Threepence, because it’s a short set and not open to much debate. The Australian 3d was minted from 1910 to 1964 spanning the reign of 4 different monarchs. Edward VII had coins minted in 1910 only, George V from 1911 to 1936, George VI from 1938 to 1952, and Elizabeth II from 1953 to 1964. Of these monarchs George VI and Elizabeth II threepence were minted with two obverses. So it is (on the surface at least) very easy to define the ‘type’ set for the Australian 3d.

1. Edward VII 3d (1910 only)
2. George V 3d (1911-1936)
3. George VI Obverse 1 (1938 to 1948)
4. George VI Obverse 2 (1949 to 1952)
5. Elizabeth II Obverse 1 (1953 to 1954)
6. Elizabeth II Obverse 2 (1955 to 1964)

There we have it, 6 coins and you have an Australian 3d type set! Right? Well, perhaps. What if we were to take into account mint marks? From 1942 to 1944 some Australian 3d’s were minted in the USA with a D (Denver) or S (San Francisco) mint mark on the reverse of the coin. In addition, in 1951 some 3d’s were minted in London, again with a mint mark on the reverse (this time a PL). So now, our type set is expanded by a further three coins.

7. George VI ‘D’ mintmark (1942 or 1943)
8. George VI ‘S’ mintmark (1942 to 1944)
9. George VI ‘PL’ mintmark (1951)

Australian 1956 Threepence

OK, finally, we’re done! Well, again, perhaps we are and perhaps we are not. This is where things get really murky. What if we were to include major varieties into the mix? The Aussie threepence has two of these, the 1922/1 overdate and the 1934/3 overdate. These two overdates are certainly in most of the dansco type folders for this series, so they could indeed be considered part of the type set. But this is where the decision lays with you, the collector. You may decide to ignore these two major varieties from your type set and concentrate on the first nine coins I’ve mentioned. The main reason? Cost! The 1922/1 overdate 3d in just fine condition can cost as much as acquiring a choice or gem coin of each of the first nine coins I have mentioned.

Truly the path forward is up to you, when collecting a type set. I’d suggest thinking about the following before setting on the path of type collecting.

• Define the type set you want to collect before you start. Research the series and costs of the coins you would like. It is better to know now that a set is likely to be out of reach because of cost or scarcity. Nothing kills interest quicker than lack of progress.
• Define you budget and grade of coins you want to collect. You might go for a matched grade set (say VF) or a premium set (Choice or better).
• Certain sets may give you an option in terms of strike. For example, you could easily collect post 1966 decimal coins in proof finish without having a huge outlay.
• Don’t be restricted by what makes a ‘type’ set. You may like to collect the best grade coins issued from a certain country for a certain year. You may look for type coins with images that fit a theme that interests you (animals and military themes are popular).
• Remember, this is supposed to be fun. If it stops being fun examine what you are doing and either revise your goals or move onto something else.

Collecting the Australian dollar coin used to be a well loved pastime but in recent years the scale of collecting these has become such a chore that it’s no longer enjoyable -for this collector at least. Thirty years of the dollar coin has gone by and we thought we’d round up a bit of a summary about the beloved dollar issued by the Royal Australian Mint.

If you browse your change and keep commemorative dollar coins as you find them and keep an example of the standard design mob of roos each year it was issued into circulation you would find that equates to a collection of 35 coins (up until end 2015).

If you keep a more comprehensive collection of every 25 millimeter dollar coin including those NCLT or non-circulating legal tender coins with all their different reverses then you would have as many as 193 coins in your collection (accurate until end of 2015). And we’re not even talking about any other legal tender of one dollar that doesn’t fit into the 25 millimeter category issued by either the Royal Australian Mint or the Perth Mint (many of which are 40mm and are not spoken about here).

See the graph below showing how the number of one dollar reverses issued has increased over the years since the first coin in 1984.

Now our magic number of 193 dollar coin reverses doesn’t include added mintmarks, privymarks, counterstamps AND it doesn’t include different packaging types or the different metals these reverse designs have been issued in. For example the same reverse designs were issued with counterstamps at various portable press locations throughout the year, the same coin might have been issued in a card and a PNC and the same reverse design might have been struck in fine silver as another issue. If we were to add these onto the list the number would increase exponentially.

Just looking at the statistics for 2015 in our magical table we see there are 92 different dollars and packaging to collect with an issue price of $17,822. This of course includes buying the expensive gold set and buying 26 different baby proof sets for each alphabet dollar they contain. If you’re not that “into it” and do just want an example of every dollar issued along with every mintmark, counterstamp or privymark then you will have to obtain 52 coins in 2015.

I feel collectors are moving more towards collecting the $2 coin with the various coloured designs, these have been issued into circulation and are certainly bringing new collectors to the hobby. Collecting the dollar coin has has become too much of a chore and is no longer a fun thing to do. Perhaps a coloured dollar into circulation should be next on the to-do list for the RAM.