1919 Melbourne Florin - PCGS MS64

Australia, 1919 Melbourne Florin -

Collectors have been sending high-grade Australian coins to PCGS for at least the last seven or eight years, so when you look at the population report and see low-single digits for a particular issue, it makes you wonder just how rare the coin must be. Out of the thirty-three 1919-M florins that PCGS has certified, around half have graded Mint State, and of that half, only three have made MS64 or better (6/16). The example photographed above is the nicest 1919-M florin that I’ve had in stock for some time, and one of the most attractive of the issue overall. The coin is beautifully toned and brimming with originality. The strike is supreme, with all six chevrons visible on the shield and full, feathery plumage on the emu’s neck and body. Described as “practically Mint State” and “one of the finest known” by Noble Numismatics, it sold for a then-record price of $6,990 in their March 2001 auction. Overall, a superior example that is bettered only by the specimen in the Benchmark Collection (which graded PCGS MS65).