The Perth Mint of Australia has a number of new product releases that go on sale today. For collectors in the United States, sales for each product will begin on April 2, 2012 at 12:01 PM ET.
At the top of the list is the 2012 Year of the Dragon Silver Ten Coin Set. This is the latest in a string of numismatic products released for the coin series, which has been very well received by collectors.
The ten coin set includes nine different colored 1 oz. 2012 Year of the Dragon Coins. The colors are red, blue, brown, purple, silver, white, yellow, black, and gold. Completing the set is a 1 oz. silver bullion coin with the traditional finish. This ten coin set is limited to 2,500.
Some collectors have pointed out that a similar set was distributed only in China. This set contained nine colored coins and was limited to 20,000. A black and red colored dragon was also released for the Berlin World Money Fair, limited to 10,000.
The Perth Mint has also released a 1 kilogram sized 2012 Australian Silver Koala Proof Coin. The coins feature a reverse design depicting a sleepy Koala on the branch of a Eucalyptus tree.
The mintage limit is low at just 500 pieces.
I believe this is the first time the Perth Mint has offered the 1 kilo sized proof coin for the series. Last year, a five ounce silver proof coin was available.
On the the end of the spectrum, the Perth Mint will also begin sales of the tiny 1/10 ounce sized 2012 Silver Koala.
Featuring the same reverse design, the coins have a diameter of 20.60 mm and thickness of 2.00 mm. The weight is 3.135 grams or 0.10 troy ounces. The legal tender denomination is 10 cents.
Continuing the tiny theme, the 2012 Mini Roo was released last week. The coins are struck in 0.5 grams of .9999 fine gold. This equates to 0.016 troy ounces, which would have an intrinsic value of $26.91. The current pricing on the Perth Mint’s website is US $56.20.
Obviously, these coins don’t make sense from a precious metals investment perspective. Generally, the smaller the gold coin is, the greater its premium to intrinsic value. However, the small size does provide one of the lowest pricing points available for a gold product and it makes for an interesting collectible as one of the world’s smallest gold coins.
SauceXX says
The 1 oz proofs have sold as high as $280. When you consider it’s only 1 oz of silver that’s a hard call. Although I guess it’s better than $1000K+ for the 3 coin proof set. As info Apmex has the typeset for $750. Seems to be where eBay pricing starts.
ultra-crepidarian says
@Two Cents
April 5, 2012 at 6:43 am
I agree with your comments 100% and I am upset with the Perth Mint. In fact, I will go as far to say that I think they conduct their business in an unethical manner that hurts the hobby. Collectors must make purchasing decisions based on Mint pronouncements. If the Mint can’t be trusted, then how can we make rational purchasing decisions?
This also causes a problem with third party graders (TPG). When the 25th Silver Eagle Anniversary sets were issued the TPG required that the sets be sent to them in unopened original Mint packaging. This is because three of the five coins had previously been issued by the US Mint.
This was not the case with the Black Dragons. The coins were previously issued in China. The Berlin Black Dragons are identical to the Chinese Grey-Red Colorized Dragons. NGC has graded 27 Chinese Grey-Red coins as MS 70 grade and only 2 Black Dragons as 70 coins. But how can they distinguish the coins? They can’t, they only use packaging to distinguish the Berlin coins. So I can send in a Grey-Red Colorized Chinese in Berlin Packaging and have it graded as a Berlin coin.
There were a maximum 20,000 Chinese Grey-Red Colorized Dragons, which grew by 5,000 when Perth repackaged the coins as a 5,000 limited Berlin Black Dragons which grew by another 2,500 now with the Australian issue. It seems that the Perth Mint wants to get in on TPG label marketing mania by selling the same coins in different packaging as though they were somehow different coins.
I now trust the Perth Mint about as far as I can toss their “1 TONNE” Gold Kangaroo.
Two Cents says
ultra-crepidarian, selling the same coins in different packaging, thereby increasing the mintage, is not my cup of tea. If they had told us from the beginning what the various offerings would be, then that is a different story — we would know what we’re getting ourselves into.
But the coins are so beautiful that it’s hard not to be tempted to buy them. I think I will only buy the coins in the first offering at the original issue price. When they come up in different packaging or on the secondary market at higher prices, then that is the time to say, “Sorry, I’ll pass.”
I wouldn’t say that I’m an investor or flipper looking for a profit, but as a collector, I like to hold onto the value of the coins that I buy.
I think I will limit my world coin buying to gift giving. That way, the recipients of my gifts will be thrilled to get attractive precious metal coins at no cost, and they won’t be disappointed if its value goes down over time (going up would be a bonus). As for me, I will get the satisfaction of making someone happy. And I will still get the pleasure of looking at and holding a beautifully designed coin in my hands before I give it away. (And anyway, all of us collectors are only caretakers of our coins before we pass them on to others.)
Now, who on my gift list will like the Niue or Tuvalu Titanic coins?
jeff72 says
Ohh my!…..Just got my Mongolian Hedgehog from Power Coin….how did this coin NOT get nominated for “coin-of-the-year” ???….it is absolutely gorgeous! …I mean really -this is a keeper!
BTW: -Power Coin was great -I can certainly recommend them -ask for Antonello -I think he is the owner…very responsive to the customer.