Fabulous buried coin collection to be auctioned

[onetrack]

Here's an interesting story about a (obviously extremely wealthy) European coin collector, who started collecting the most outstanding coins of the world, almost 100 years ago.

Following the 1929 Wall St sharemarket crash, the wealthy gent obviously sought a better method for storing his pocket money wealth. So he set out on a coin-collecting binge that amassed some of the worlds rarest coins.

 

It appears that taking the coin collection with him on his travels was dangerous, and possibly became illegal under the Nazi's - so he simply buried the stash in aluminium cans in his garden, when the Nazis started on their warpath!

He died not long after WW2 started, but his wife and his heirs didn't lose the location of the stash. The stash was recovered a few years ago (maybe after the death of his wife?), and now his heirs are auctioning it off.

 

It's reported the collection will bring upwards of $100M. One of the rare coins up for auction is a one-off Port Phillip One Ounce coin, a rare pattern piece minted in conjunction with the 1854 Melbourne Exhibition, and later shown in Paris in 1855.

This coin was minted by the Kangaroo Office Mint, a short-lived attempt to start up a privately-owned Mint in Victoria.

 

https://canadiancoinnews.com/historice-traveller-collection-hidden-for-50-years/

[Grumpy Old Nasho]

And here I am going through my 50c coins looking to see if there's any odd stamping marks that might increase their value by $10.

[facthunter]

Better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick?   Nev

[spacesailor]

I have just received  in my change a $ 2005  " piece " coin,  the value is between $ 5 & $ 3 500

I guess $5 would be my lot . LoL

My oldest coin is 1799 ( king George ) halfpenny. 

Spacesailor

 

Edited Saturday at 06:01 AM by spacesailor

[red750]

To get anything above face value, they pretty much have to be uncirculated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[old man emu]

Does one become a coin collector for profit or for pleasure? As Nev implied, it's only the very rare coins, or stamps, that have a market value above their face value. But it can be an inexpensive and fun hobby. There are some sets, or issue groups of coins that it would be nice to get a full set. There is one Australian coin (can't remember the denomination) that has a series with a letter of the alphabet on the back and a image of an Aussie object. For example, the coin with the letter 'V' has the image of a Vegemite jar. 

 

At the end of the day when I help out at the OP shop, I go through the coins to see if anything interesting has turned up. If I find something, I put back a coin from my pocket. Then I swap it with my BIL for a coin of the same face value. 

[facthunter]

The Mint will sell MINT condition Coins to collectors at a price and you keep them in the box for best appreciation in the Value. Nev

[onetrack]

In the early 1990's, I bought 3 x $200 Australian gold coins.

They were the first gold coins minted in Australia for multiple decades.

 

I seem to recall they had about 1/3rd ounce of gold in them, and because they had a face value of $200, you could always get $200 for them, regardless of the gold price.

 

In the late 1990's I fell on some really hard times, and I needed some money, so I sold them to a bank for $200 each.

 

Of course, it was one of the worst decisions I've ever made, because those coins are now selling for $1,500 to $2,000 each!!

[old man emu]

7 minutes ago, onetrack said:

it was one of the worst decisions I've ever made

Today it seems to be a bad decision, but at the time it was the correct one if it eased your hard times. Hindsight can be a cruel thing.

 

I'm trying to get rid of stuff that was bought years ago. At the time it was a good idea, but today I think of all the money I spent then and am giving away today. How many people today want a cordless landline phone set up?

[facthunter]

I don't know, but you only need ONE who really wants it.. We are all clever in hindsight.  Get things you liken to play with and if they become worth anything it's a PLUS. It requires car,e effort and skill to preserve things. Nev

[pmccarthy]

I had a couple of those gold coins but I left them in a drawer in a cupboard that the removalists took away. They delivered the cupboard but not the coins. In 1989.

[facthunter]

Pour l'Eglise? Nev

[Marty_d]

"For the church"?

 

"Pour le Bistrot" would be more accurate I reckon

[facthunter]

It used to be a Joke when I was in France. Used instead of Gardez la Monnaie.   Nev