Australia Elizabeth II Perth Mint 1961 Halfpenny & Penny Proof Pair FDC

Scarce and seldom offered – mintage a mere 1,040!

A must-have for the serious Australian coin collector, we are delighted to present the Perth Mint’s 1961 Halfpenny & Penny Proof Pair!

As was traditional in the predecimal era, mints only struck Proof examples of the denominations they were required to strike for circulation. Thus, in 1961, the Perth Mint issued only the halfpenny and penny in Proof quality. Struck to demand, and with the collector market in its infancy, a mere 1,040 pairs were issued! That figure only tells part of the story, however…

During the early days of collector coin production, Australia’s operating mints issued Proofs in basic packaging. With coins suffering exposure to air, as well as unwanted handling, most are no longer what we would describe as ‘first quality’. Some estimate that as few as 30-40% remain in original, first-class condition. That means there could be as few as 300 of the Perth Mint’s 1961 Halfpenny & Penny Proof Pairs in pristine condition, as here.

Underpinned by blazing orange hues, with flawless fields playing host to razor-sharp designs, these coins will take any collection to new heights – but you must act now. With only one 1961 Halfpenny & Penny Proof Pair in stock, delay is sure to mean disappointment.

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The Heritage of Australia’s Proof Currency

In the modern age, collectors are used to the Royal Australian Mint issuing Proof examples of Australia’s traditional circulating coinage in significant numbers. Every year, thousands of people have the chance to enjoy our beloved, iconic coins, struck to the highest possible quality. This wasn’t always the case…

Traditionally, mints both in Australia and elsewhere around the world struck Proof coinage for very specific reasons – and catering for the broader collector market wasn’t one of those reasons. Proof examples of coins were struck for government institutions, for archival purposes, for institutions such as museums, and to distribute to other mints. As a result, these coins were struck in the tiniest of numbers, with mintages of less than 10 pieces a regular occurrence. As the global collector market began to grow, however, so did pressure to strike Proof coinage in more substantial numbers.

In Australia, there were a few Proof issues for collectors in the pre-WWII era – the 1927 Canberra Florin Proof, for example – but the number struck was still minuscule. In the 1950s, however, Treasury bowed to collector and dealer pressure and sanctioned the striking of Proof coins as part of an ongoing commercial venture. Government insisted on intervening in just one aspect – only those coins being struck by a mint for circulation could be issued as Proofs.

For the Perth Mint, tasked only with producing Australian copper coins, this meant the striking of penny and halfpenny Proofs only. From the launch of the Collector Proof Coin Program in 1955 until its conclusion in 1963, just prior to the changeover to decimal currency, the Perth Mint attained a level of excellence with its Proof coinage that was the equal of any mint in the world.

Magnificent to behold, the coins are glorious. Underpinned by a rich array of orange hues, and notable for the impeccably smooth background fields and highly detailed designs, Perth Mint Proofs rank as some of the finest coins ever produced in Australia. Struck in the tiniest numbers, and with many lost or mishandled in the many decades since issue, Perth Mint Predecimal Proofs also rank among the rarest.

The nation’s very first annual Proof coin series, the Collector Proof Coin Program, forms one of the most important elements of Australia’s currency heritage. This is your chance to be a part of it.