With the price of silver down, I've been working to assemble a set of Australian florins. I've made good progress, but what is frustrating me is the supposedly common coins. The 1910 to 1945 coins are .33 silver, and you can find most dates for close to their melt value, even the ones with lower mintages. However the 1946 to 1963 are .18 silver, but they consistently sell for just as much as the earlier ones. These are not rare and should be selling for bullion value, but I'm always outbid, and I don't want to pay twice the worth. Why do they sell for so much?
All the coins in question have a mintage of around 10 million and Krause lists as common values. And no, not looking for high grades. Pretty much anything without rim dings or verdigris.
I guess you're excluding the 1934-35 Victoria/Melbourne Florin, as that can't be had for anything close to melt.
Florins minted from 1910 to 1945 were produced with a .925 sterling silver content, weighing 11.31 g (0.3636 troy ounces) with an actual silver weight (ASW) of 10.46 grams (0.3363 ozt). Florins minted between 1946 and 1963 were produced with a .500 silver content, weighing 11.31 g with an ASW of 5.65 g (0.1818 ozt). You seem to be confusing the actual silver weight with the silver content. The earlier ones were like all British silver, sterling silver.
If anything, it's the people buying them all for the same prices that are confusing the weight with the silver content
Yes, I said most dates. The rare ones I don't expect to find cheaply, but say the 1961 or 1963 which I've been outbid on about 10 times each I think I should be able to acquire. Sorry if I used the wrong terminology but I think people know what I meant.
what dates do you need for each type ? what grade are you looking for ? I have a few of the coin of the right. I liked them for the "star" and because they are silver.
I've also seen them sell for a lot, so I've given up on those and even the early shillings. Maybe all the problem free ones are being sought after, and the catalogue is listing prices for minor problem, circulated coins. That's what is seems like out there
I need the 1932, which sells for more than $100, the 35, 39, 45, both types of 51, 56, 61 and 63. This is what is strange because the early dates (1910-20) which have a higher catalog value were pretty easy to find at a reasonable price, but all those newer ones keep selling for way over the book value. The only condition restrictions I have is I don't want big dings or scratches, really ugly discoloration or it having been cleaned. A condition like the 1927 I posted is totally fine with me. I'll find them eventually, I was really just wondering if anyone had any insight why they were so high priced when they're not rare and not that old so there doesn't seem like any good reason for it.
The 1939 is scarce too, expect to pay at least $15 for it. We've got a nice 1956 coming up this Friday: http://www.numisbid.com.au/Browse/1956_Florin_Extremely_Fine/14430
