For the love of collecting JULY 2025
Inside this issue
Page 5
Elizabeth II & Charles III – portraits of power…
Honouring the transition of power from Elizabeth II to Charles III, the new Portraits of Power coins are available in 99.9% silver & 99.99% gold: with the latter featuring a real diamond! With the mintages tiny, a swift sell-out is certain.
Page 7
Nature’s Window – the Green Sea Turtle!
Capturing one of nature’s wonders through the latest in full-colour minting, this spectacular tribute to the Green Sea Turtle is highly reminiscent of a stained glass window! One of the finest full-colour coins we have seen! Mintage just 500!
Page 15
King George V, and the rare 1934 Proof Set…
Seldom offered to collectors, the King George V 6-Coin 1934 Proof Set is one of Australia’s great rarities. From an original mintage of perhaps 40 to 50 sets, it is believed only 10 complete sets remain in ‘first class quality’ – as presented here.
Pages 22&23
Pre-Federation history – the stamps of Colonial Australia!
Taking you on a journey back to the foundation of modern Australia, we have a sensational selection of genuine pre-Federation stamps in stock – including Victoria’s iconic 1850 Half Lengths and NSW’s famous 1850 Sydney Views!
Latest Heraldic Beasts issue!
We are delighted to unveil the latest in the Heraldic Beasts Series – the Lion 2025 $1 Rose Gold-plated 1oz Silver Proof!
Breathing new life into a beloved medieval emblem, this coin radiates grandeur and power in equal measure. A masterpiece of modern heraldic art, the flan is adorned with a razor-sharp portrayal of a crowned lion, guarding a shield emblazoned with Britain’s Three Lions. Capturing the essence of the lion, each coin is struck from 99.9% silver, with the lion and the shield finished in rose gold.
With the Heraldic Beasts Series admired worldwide, and the mintage of the Lion 2025 $1 Rose Gold-plated 1oz Silver Proof just 750, you must act now.
1oz of 99.9% silver! Proof quality! Selectively plated in rose gold!
Tiny mintage set at just 750 coins!
Niue legal tender: spans 38.60mm
Presented within a plush case
Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
1oz of 99.99% gold! Proof quality!
Just FIFTY available worldwide!
Niue legal tender: measures 38.60mm
Presented within an attractive case
Numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
A paragon of prestige, purity and presentation, the first COMPLETE Charles III Australian Gold Proof Set comprises six coins from the 5c to $2 – each struck from 99.99% pure, glittering gold!
Notable for the tiny mintage of just FIFTY, each set is superbly presented within an official, individually numbered RAM timber case, complete with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. With just two sets available at Downies, you must act now!
Australia’s 2nd full-colour circulating type, and 2nd lowest mintage circulating $2 with a mere one million coins struck, this is your chance to secure the 2013 Coronation $2 as an Uncirculated 25-coin Chubb Roll! Tiny number in stock!
Elizabeth II & Charles III – Portraits of Power
Exclusive, official and superbly designed, we are delighted to present the Elizabeth II & Charles III 2025 $1 Portraits of Power 1oz Silver Proof!
Honouring the transition of power from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III, this 99.9% silver Proof is dominated by sharply detailed portrayals of mother and son. Also adorned with the English Rose, Scottish Thistle, Welsh Daffodil & Irish Shamrock, the mintage of this official legal tender coin is just 999.
With so few available worldwide, immediate action is essential! Elizabeth II & Charles III 2025 $1 Portraits of Power 1oz Silver Proof
Struck from 1oz of 99.9% pure silver
Underpinned by flawless Proof quality
Strictly limited edition just 999 coins!
Niue legal tender: spans 38.60mm
Set in a case with a see-through lid!
Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
1oz 99.99% gold! Genuine diamond!
Comprises 1oz of 99.99% pure gold! Genuine diamond set in the reverse!
Tiny mintage set at just 99 coins!
Niue legal tender: measures 38.60mm
Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
Elizabeth II & Charles
Capturing the essence of the Aussie bush through the contrast of 99.9% silver and vivid full-colour, the latest in the Colours of Australia Series has caught the eye of collectors worldwide. An official Niue legal tender issue, spanning a crown-sized 38.60mm in diameter, the mintage has been restricted to a mere 1,000 coins – each with a numbered Certificate.
One of the world’s finest full-colour coins…
A release of immense beauty, impeccable purity and strictly limited availability, Downies is proud to unveil the spectacular Green Sea Turtle 2025 $5 Colour 2oz Silver Proof!
Struck to Proof quality from 2oz of 99.9% pure silver, this is undoubtedly one of the finest full-colour coins we have ever offered. Indicative of the power of modern minting techniques, the expert application of the turtle’s rainbow of colours and ocean backdrop is highly reminiscent of a stained glass window!
The name of this endangered creature is most misleading. Although dubbed the Green Sea Turtle due to the greenish flesh under its shell, this noble creature is often distinguished by a glorious cornucopia of colours – as illustrated by the exquisite design found on the broad 55mm flan of this eyecatching coin.
A true work of numismatic art, every collector will be enchanted by the individual beauty and technical perfection underpinning this official legal tender coin. And yet, the Green Sea Turtle 2025 $5 Colour 2oz Silver Proof is to be enjoyed by the privileged few. With the limited edition just 500, time is of the essence.
Don’t miss the chance to secure this spectacular full-colour coin at Official Issue Price! Act now!
2oz of 99.9% pure silver! Proof quality!
Reminiscent of a stained glass window!
Mintage restricted to a mere 500 coins!
Niue legal tender: spans a huge 55mm
Presented within a glossy timber case
Numbered Certificate of Authenticity
Underpinned by impressive
and
Predecimal Paper Prices Plunge!
A key element of our currency history, available at a price from the past, the George VI 10/- Set comprises a note from the four signature combinations of the king’s reign – Sheehan/ McFarlane, Armitage/ McFarlane, Coombs/Watt & Coombs/Wilson. In Uncirculated condition, the set is a crazy $1,500 off regular retail!
Drawing the curtain down on Australia’s first national currency system, our last predecimal notes are a must-have for every collection – especially at a price like this! Comprising the Elizabeth II Coombs/Wilson 10/-, £1, £5 & £10 notes – all in Uncirculated quality – this set is now a mindblowing $905 off regular retail!
Including strictly Uncirculated examples of the £1 note issued under the signature combinations outlined above, this complete George VI set is available at a similarly scintillating saving. A very scarce collection in Unc quality, normally retailing at $4,280, the set can now be yours for $2,780! Save a massive $1,500!
The last banknotes of King George V…
Issued after the abandonment of the Gold Standard, with notes no longer backed by gold, Australia’s ‘Legal Tender Series’ 10/- note immediately caused controversy. Its similarity to the £1 sparked a public outcry, and it was replaced by the 2nd Legal Tender 10/- type just months later. Featuring a ‘Ten Shillings’ overprint, the 2nd type is scarce and yet affordable in Very Fine. Just three available – act now!
George V 1934 10/- R10 Riddle/Sheehan Overprint
The third and final 10/- type of the Legal Tender Series, the flawless, blazing orange note before you also represents the last 10/- type of George V. Scarce, irrespective of the condition, this ‘last-of-its-kind’ note is very rare in Uncirculated quality, as here!
Australia George V 1936 10/- R11 Riddle/Sheehan Legal Tender Uncirculated Banknote
$4,950 41449
Representing a major landmark in currency history, the first Legal Tender Series £1 note was also the last £1 issued under King George V. A key element of any collection, and scarce in the upper echelons of quality, we have two examples in Uncirculated condition.
Australia George V 1933 £1 R28 Riddle/Sheehan Legal Tender Uncirculated Banknote
$2,490 41450
The last £5 note issued during the reign of George V is known by two types – the Pink Face and, as here, the White Face type. Scarce in any grade, the high denomination 1933 £5 Riddle/Sheehan White Face is very rare in premium grade Extremely Fine condition.
Australia George V 1933 £5 R44b Riddle/Sheehan Legal Tender White Face Extremely Fine Banknote
$4,980 41451
Australia’s first commemorative coins
Australia’s first commemorative coin, and arguably our most beautiful, the 1927 Canberra Florin was issued to honour the opening of the then new Parliament House.
Australia George V 1927 Canberra Florin Uncirculated
Honouring the settlement of Victoria and foundation of Melbourne, the 1934-35 Centenary Florin is one of Australia’s lowest mintage coins. Just 54,000 issued!
Australia George V 1934-35 Centenary Florin Uncirculated
The sole commemorative florin of the reign of King George VI, the 1951 Federation Florin marked the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Australian nation.
The final predecimal commemorative and only Elizabeth II predecimal commemorative, this type honoured the first Australian tour by a reigning British monarch.
From the first halfpenny to the last florin, this comprehensive set features an example of EVERY date & mintmark issue of EVERY Australian predecimal denomination of Queen Elizabeth II!
Highlighted by the first-year-of-issue dates, 1956 ‘Olympic’ shilling & florin and 1959 Melbourne Penny, the complete collection is scarce and seldom offered – especially in Uncirculated quality! Housed in a VST album – valued at $59 but yours for FREE – the set is now $942 off the combined prices of the 71 coins!
Australia’s lowest mintage florin!
George V
AND AUSTRALIA’S RARE 1934 PROOF SET…
Before the 1950s, Proof coinage in Australia was struck almost exclusively for archival purposes, and to share with public institutions, dignitaries and government officials. Only sporadically were Proof coins struck on a commercial basis, and, even then, it was nothing like the mass production underpinning modern collecting. The 1934 Proof Set is an excellent case-in-point.
Representing a rare foray into collector coinage by the Melbourne Mint, the 1934 Proof Set was created for an Australian collector market in its infancy. The 1934 Proofs were therefore struck in astonishingly low numbers, with the mintage thought to be about 40 to 50 sets. Although obviously representing a ridiculously small mintage, even those figures do not tell the whole story...
The King George V 1934 6-Coin Proof Set is one of Australia’s greatest, most important numismatic rarities. With many coins lost or mishandled, and many sets broken up and the coins offered individually, it is believed that – from an original mintage of 40 to 50 – less than 10 sets remain in ‘first class’ quality.
One of the very rare occasions when a perfectly preserved set appears on the market, the 1934 6-Coin Proof Set seen here is simply outstanding. Officially graded by PCGS, and defined by sharp, crisply struck designs, this breathtaking collection comprises the halfpenny and the penny in PR62 Red & Brown, the threepence, sixpence and florin in PR65, with the shilling in PR66.
The epitome of quality, rarity and history, the George V 1934 6-Coin Proof Set gives you the chance to take your collection to an entirely new level.
Australia George V 1934 6-Coin Proof Set PCGS PR62-66
Rare George V notes at rare
Issued for just one year, and printed in tiny numbers even in comparison to other £1 issues of the era, this low denomination Roaring 20s note can be yours at a crazy $445. At $255 below the current catalogue value in Fine, you must not miss this opportunity!
Like its predecessor, offered at left, the 1927 Kell/ Heathershaw £1 was also printed for about a year. Similarly scarce to rare across the grades, this Depression Era artefact is also available at a super saving. At just $495, it’s $305 below catalogue in Fine!
Halfpenny & Penny
• 10 coins - EVERY Australian halfpenny & penny type issued from 1911 – 1964.
• SAVE $5, plus FREE SHIPPING on your first issue - the 1911-36 George V Halfpenny!
• FREE hardback display portfolio with info on each GENUINE penny and halfpenny!
• Hard to assemble individuallywe’ve made it easy!
NVQU
Threepence & Sixpence
• 12 coins - EVERY standard Australian silver threepence & sixpence type issued from 1910-1964
• SAVE $5, plus FREE SHIPPING on your first issue - 1938-48 George VI Threepence!
• FREE hardback display portfolio with info on each GENUINE coin!
• Featuring the highly sought after Edward VII 1910 issues!
• 12 coins - EVERY standard Australian silver shilling and florin type issued from 1910 – 1963.
• SAVE $10, plus FREE SHIPPING on your first issue: 1955-63 Elizabeth II Shilling!
• FREE hardback display portfolio with info on each GENUINE shilling & florin!
• Headlined by scarce Edward VII 1910 Shilling & Florin!
*Dates of our choice
*Dates of our choice
Rare Choice Unc 1926P!
The second highest cataloguing Perth Mint Sovereign – behind only the 1899P – the 1926P is among Australia’s most desirable coins.
The mintage of the 1926P was very low, especially by Perth Mint standards, concluding at little more than one million coins. This makes the 1926P the third lowest mintage Perth issue from 1899 to 1931! With so many coins melted for the gold value, recycled or simply lost, it’s no shock that the 1926P is rarely seen in superior grade.
An exceptional example, the 1926P is undeniably rare graded MS63 – equivalent of Choice Uncirculated.
Uncirculated)
$6,450 17688
$2,295 40835
$2,295 40833
$2,395 40834
$2,395 40832
George V 1921P Gold Sovereign PCGS MS63 (Choice Uncirculated)
George V 1919P Gold Sovereign PCGS MS63 (Choice Uncirculated)
George V 1920P Gold Sovereign PCGS MS62 (Uncirculated)
George V 1918P Gold Sovereign PCGS MS62 (Uncirculated)
George V 1926P Gold Sovereign PCGS MS63 (Choice
A sweeping celebration of the world’s most famous gold coin, the Complete 1817-2025 Monarchs Gold Sovereign 9-Coin Collection comprises a sovereign from the reign of every king and every queen under whom the modern sovereign has been issued. From King George III to King Charles III, every monarch is represented!
Beginning with the rare first sovereign date, issued in 1817 under King George III, the collection includes coins of King George IV, King William IV, Queen Victoria,
King Edward VII, King George V, Queen Elizabeth II & King Charles III – dates, mints & types of our choice. Completing the set, we have also secured a great rarity – the only George VI Sovereign, struck in Proof quality to celebrate his coronation in 1937!
With a tiny number of sets available, you must act now!
Complete 1817-2025 Monarchs Gold Sovereign 9-Coin Collection
$37,500
Sensational 19th century pre-Federation 225-stamp set!
A powerful pathway to the past, providing a rich insight into Australia’s colonial history and the road to nationhood, we are proud to offer this sensational collection of genuine 19th century pre-Federation stamps!
Before Australia united as a nation at Federation in 1901, responsibility for postal services lay in the hands of the individual colonies. Ex-convict Isaac Nichols was appointed postmaster in Sydney in 1809, with postmasters appointed in Tasmania (1812), Western Australia (1829), Victoria (1836), South Australia (1837) and Queensland (1842). Each each of the six colonies had its own post office and each issued its own stamps – leading to a varied, colourful and highly collectable pre-Federation stamp series!
Representing all six colonies as they progressed towards nationhood, this gigantic collection includes 225 stamps, issued from the 1850s Gold Rush era to the turn of the century. Tough to assemble, and highlighted by many scarce varieties and values of up to £1, the 225-stamp collection is presented within museum quality display sheets with a free binder.
Absolutely irresistible value-for-money at less than $4.40 per stamp, you must not miss this historic opportunity! Act now, and save $575 off the regular retail!
Highlighted by an excellent variety of official issues from all six Australian colonies, we also have a pre-Federation 44-stamp set in Mint condition! Featuring many scarce varieties, with values up to 5/-, the set represents top value at under $10 per stamp.
Iconic pre-Federation Australian stamps!
Australia’s 2nd stamp issue, Victoria’s Half Length stamps are an iconic element of philatelics – treasured for both their historic and aesthetic value. A triumph of the engraver’s art, English artist Thomas Ham’s ‘half length’ portrait of Queen Victoria is simply superb.
Genuine artefacts of colonial, pre-Federation Australia, and a key element of our philatelic history, Queensland’s high denomination Chalon Head stamps are as scarce as they are beautiful. Distinguished by a magnificent portrait of the young Queen Victoria, taken from a work by Alfred Edward Chalon, these ornate, superbly designed, high denomination stamps are surprisingly affordable.
Unites hand-cut and perforated Chalon Head penny stamps: very scarce in Unused, mint, no gum condition!
Fascinating colonial artefacts: issued a year before Van Diemen’s Land changed its name to Tasmania!
