Hey Friend

I hope that you're really well! There's a lot happening this week for Aussie coin collectors...

Annual RAM Coin Sets
First up, the Royal Australian Mint has released images for the coins in their 2026 Annual Set.

This set is part of the "theme" celebrating the 60th anniversary of decimal currency in Australia. There are 2 special design coins in this set - the Fifty Cent and the Ten Cent (which adds up to 60).


(Photo courtesy of Royal Australian Mint)

Unfortunately the RAM confirmed over the phone that these two coins are not going into circulation, which is a shame. It would have been nice to have a commemorative Ten Cent! But this set will make a good companion to the 2016 50th anniversary coins and also the $1 coin released in January.

This set will be available through a RAM ballot this week, but also through dealers - which should include Australia Post. So don't panic if you miss out in the RAM ballot, it should be possible to get this set at RRP from multiple sources if you're chasing it.

Melbourne ANDA Show
This weekend, the first ANDA Coin & Banknote show for 2026 will be happening at Malvern Town Hall in Melbourne. (ANDA stands for Australasian Numismatic Dealers Association)

I'm excited, as this is the first time I'm attending the Melbourne ANDA show. I'll be there to give a presentation about Coin Collecting on both Saturday and Sunday at 11am. I will be speaking about "Aussie Coin Collecting: Tips, Tricks and Treasures" (the same presentation both days).

Here are the topics that we'll cover:
🪙 Some potentially valuable coins and banknotes, plus how to identify them,
🪙 Places to find new coins for your collection,
🪙 Researching the value of your collection,
🪙 Coin collecting myth-busting,
🪙 How to store your coins safely, and
🪙 Setting up your collection for success.

There will also other presenters at the show, including an interview with a Perth Mint coin designer on Saturday. The presentations are free to attend once you're inside the ANDA event. Here are details of the show:

WHEN:🗓️🕰️
Saturday 7 February 10am - 3pm
Sunday 8 February 10am - 3pm

WHERE: 🗺️
Malvern Town Hall
1251 High St,
Malvern VIC 3144

If you're not in Melbourne, here are the dates for the other ANDA shows around the country for 2026:


Warnings - Crazy Silver/Gold behaviour
As you probably know, the big news in the coin world for the last few months has been the dizzying heights that gold and silver values are heading for.

Now please note - I never offer any investment advice, nor do I have any idea on future prices. However, there are a few things I've noticed recently that concern me.

1. Security
I've seen a few people sharing information and photos about their collections online, for example piles of round fifty cent coins. Please don't share information online about your collection (especially something as easily traded as silver or gold).

Unfortunately there have been incidents of people being stalked after sharing such information online, and you never know who's watching out there. Even a comment on someone's post could tip people off, so please be careful with what info you share publicly.

2. Scammers selling fake silver coins
The Purple Penny shared a photo in recent days with a series of fake silver coins that had crossed their path. With all this hype, unfortunately, there are scammers out there selling fake silver (and probably gold too). If you are buying, please make sure that it's from a reputable/trusted source. There are machines that can detect the metal content of a coin, and other methods as well. But if you are buying - online or in person - please make sure it's from a reliable source.

Phew - interesting world we live in!


In the meantime, I hope to see you at one of the shows this year (possibly this weekend in Melbourne). Stay safe and have a great week!

Cheers
Damian
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