1938 Proof Sixpence - PCGS PR64

Australia, 1938 Proof Sixpence -

Today, modern mints release tens of thousands of proof coins every year. The coins are packaged in brightly-coloured, protective holders, and are issued with an informative pamphlet, care instructions, and lots of moisture absorbent silica sieves and bubble wrap to prevent damage. There was a time, not so long ago, that the mint issued coins in nothing more than tissue paper. They often minted just fifty or a hundred of each coin, and released them slowly over the year to meet the trickle of demand. Today, those coins, unprotected from the elements and mishandling, are often in low grade: They are often covered in fingerprints, toning, or hairlines, are sometimes cleaned, and are almost always imperfect in some way. The coin photographed here is in high grade, and has survived relatively unscathed in the decades since being issued. In PR64, it is the equal second-finest graded by PCGS (4/24), and one of the nicer examples of this commercial proof currently available on the market. One hundred pieces were minted, but only 68 examples were eventually issued, making the 1938 zac one of the rarer commercial proofs from the mid-twentieth century available to collectors today. If you’ve been looking for a superior pre-1955 proof to add to your collection, but don’t want to pay five figures for a VIP proof, this is your coin.