Coinworks sold a proof example of the rare Australian penny issued in 1930 for 1.15 million AUD in February. Only six such coins were produced as per Melbourne Mint records, and three of them are in private hands. The same anonymous buyer had bought the third-finest known circulating 1930 penny last year, graded Good Extremely Fine by Coinworks.

The proof versions were produced as collector coins. One of the privately owned coins is called Hagley coin as it was a part of Sydney Hagley’s collection. The one offered at the auction is called British Museum Duplicate as it was a part of the British Museum collection in the 80s. The third one is called Old Melbourne Collection coin which appeared in 1997 in a collection in Melbourne.

The Melbourne Mint coin was sent to the Museum of Victoria after the Mint shut operations. One example is at the British Museum and another one is at the Art Gallery of South Australia. The British Museum received another Proof 1930 penny as a donation in 1962. They exchanged one of them for an 1852 cracked die Adelaide pound in 1982.

Image Courtesy: Coinworks