Collecting 50c coins

[Coins from Vending]

Hello everyone I am the new guy.

I am starting to collect 50 cent coins and was wondering what year  issue coins are the ones of more value, not so much as in proof issues and the like, but your everyday issue coin.

I own about 15 vending machines and usually have about $2000 a week in coin come through them so plenty of scope to collect.

I am also keen on collecting error coins, I have some which I am uncertain if they are true errors or if they have been tampered with.

I have always been into collecting coins and bank notes as I worked as a bank teller in the late 80s early 90s and had accumulated a considerable collection of notes of all signature pairs, even had a few star notes and note errors, I'd order in bank notes as head teller and go through them when they were delivered by brambles to find "those" notes, However my missus at the time cracked the shits with me and banked them all at face value, I was so gutted I never collected another coin or note, I had 100 in serial number order of the captain cook issue $10 note with the blue 26th Jan date, Phillips wheeler $20 notes in UNC condition, all up was about $5000 in face value alone, needless to say I left that relationship about 2 weeks later, bitch.

Anyways I am back in the game albeit only for coins.

So if anyone could post  year issues that are worthy of collection I'd be really happy, I have spent weeks going through ebay to see what years are sought after, but it gets confusing and I mix up denominations as I am trying to do too much.

Anyway enough of my dribble.

ATM I am doing 50cent coins.

Looking forward to your help :wavemulticolor:

Darryn

[trout]

:welcome:
to the forum.
Your best course of action is to get hold of a Macdonald's or Rennic's  coin guide book.
This will give you a basic idea of which coins are scarce/rare :ok:

[r9453]

:wavemulticolor:

Go the 50 cent!

:welcome:

[Ozcoins]

Welcome to the forum!

Here is (some of) what I look for.
Anything in good condition before 1981
2001 state coins
2010 rotated (my favourite!)
2010 die clash under emus belly
2005 robe cud/chin cud
1979 double bar
1980 double bar
1991 ram
2000 royal visit
2000 incuse flag
Most of them are more "interesting" rather than valuable

[stevo1962]

1972  1973 and 1974 coat of arms are the rarer issue years and worth quite a bit in UNC condition

[Fulvio]

You may find this PDF I did useful, and the discussion in the Decimal Mintages thread: http://goo.gl/CdA7n

Not complete, by a longshot, but the 50¢ are all there, and the numbers are somewhat close. Its a work in progress, so check back occasionally as I update it. It was designed with an iPod/iPhone in mind.

Now, if I had a stable of vending machines providing $2k a week, what I'd do is look at them all under a magnifying glass, searching for errors. Keep anything shiny without even looking at it on the first pass. Keep any commemoratives, except maybe the high mintage ones. Keep anything unusual. Keep any low mintage years. Ditch the rest, and come back for a second pass when you have time.

When banking the rejects, I'd also turn them into $5 notes first (preferrably at a different bank), and check serial numbers before depositing them. Out of $2k you should have half a dozen first/last prefixes, radars, repeaters or UNC notes. You can also switch to higher denominations, especially $100 test notes.

Good luck, and welcome aboard.

[JeffH]

1985 and 1993 are the lowest circulation years and rather hard to find. Even though official figures put 1985 as slightly higher mintage they are much scarcer in circulation than the 1993.

1991 ramshead is a favourite of many -small mintage so not common in change. And, most collectors would not discard a 2001 Centenary of Federation issue unless in very poor condition. Try to make up some sets of all nine.

Also, be aware of some of the varieties; 1970 tilted 7, 1994 wide date, double bars and a few others mentioned above. Then there are errors too (plenty of mentions of them in the forum).

Jeff
PS. That compilation is excellent Fulvio.

[Oz 50c Man]

:welcome:

All good advice above.

I support anyone who likes the fifty!

[purplepennyhunter]

Welcome I have a question though. Do many vending machines actually still take our unusually large odd shaped 50c?

[JeffH]

How could I forget to mention my favourite -Incused millennium? Incuse Millennium 50c Variety I must be losing it!
And that site is well worth a good look. MarkN and harrisk (purplepennyhunter) have been known to hang around this forum. :s

[Ozcoins]

I thought all vending machines still take 50c?
I know some no longer take 5c though.

[Coins from Vending]

Thanks for all the replies lots of food for thought and getting educated, all good fun

The vending machines all take 50C peices, they cause the most problems too I might add.

Machines can be programmed to take/refuse 5c peices.

I have my machines accept them for the simple reason is that its all money.

And I know the 1972 one is worth a few dollars.
Thats a good idea Fulvio, I'll do that.

[trout]

If you find one of these you will be doing rather well :ok:

[Fulvio]

That didn't come out of circulation, surely?

[trout]

That didn't come out of circulation, surely?

No Mate , It came in an envelope with a pommy 50p coin :angel: