Copeland Roberts Auction 019 Realises More Than $549,000 With 99% Clearance

One of the standout Australian pre-decimal results was a 1922(p) Indian Obverse Penny, formerly part of the Benchmark Collection and certified PCGS MS64BN.

The 1922 Indian Obverse Penny is an important variety within the Australian penny series and represents the first copper coinage definitively attributed to the Perth Mint.

The coin was certified PCGS MS64BN Top Pop, with four examples graded at that level and none finer. It also carried exceptional provenance, having previously formed part of the Benchmark Collection, widely recognised as one of the most important collections of Australian Commonwealth coinage assembled.

Estimated at $2,300–$3,000, the coin hammered for $3,800 and realised $4,636 including buyer's premium.

The result demonstrated the premium the market can place on the combination of rarity, exceptional condition, certification and strong provenance.

Another strong pre-decimal result came from a 1938 Australian Crown in Uncirculated condition. Estimated at $500–$600, it hammered for $750 and realised $915 including buyer's premium.

Australian gold was one of the most valuable sections of Auction 019.

The highest-priced lot of the auction was a 2000 Sydney Olympics Gold Coin Collection, containing 80 grams of actual gold weight.

Estimated at $11,000–$13,000, the collection hammered for $13,400 and realised $16,348 including buyer's premium.

Australian sovereigns also continued to attract competition.

An 1894-S Sydney Mint Sovereign, catalogued as Extremely Fine, was estimated at $1,100–$1,300. It hammered for $1,600 and realised $1,952 including buyer's premium.

The result continued the pattern seen in recent Copeland Roberts auctions, with Australian branch-mint sovereigns attracting interest from both dedicated sovereign collectors and broader Australian gold buyers.

For more information on the Australian sovereign market, see our Gold Sovereign Value Guide.

Auction 019 also included an important selection of world gold.

A 1566 Hungary-Transylvania Gold Ducat of John Sigismund, struck at the Sibiu Mint and certified PCGS AU53, was one of the most significant international coins in the sale.

The coin featured the scarcer Madonna and Child die variety and, at the time of cataloguing, was the only example of the type certified by PCGS.

It hammered for $4,350 and realised $5,307 including buyer's premium.

Specialist world material has become an increasingly important component of Copeland Roberts auctions. Results across recent sales continue to demonstrate that significant international coins can attract competition when they are properly identified, researched, photographed and presented to the market.

Several modern Australian issues substantially exceeded their pre-sale estimates.

A group of four 2024 ACR 'Swan Dollar' Silver Medals, all certified PCGS PR70DCAM, was estimated at $400–$600.

The lot hammered for $1,175, almost twice the high estimate, and realised $1,434 including buyer's premium.

Perth Mint material also remained competitive.

A group of four 1995–1997 Privy Mark Kookaburras, containing five ounces of silver, was estimated at $300–$500. The lot hammered for $775 and realised $946 including buyer's premium.

A 2020 Great Southern Land Opal Coin was another strong result. Estimated at $1,000–$1,500, it hammered for $1,650 and realised $2,013 including buyer's premium.

These results reinforce an important feature of the modern Australian market: scarcity, completeness, unusual varieties and particularly desirable series can be considerably more important than precious-metal value alone.

Australian decimal banknotes also produced one of the strongest collection results of the sale.

A complete group of six Downies Australian Banknote Type Set portfolios, covering denominations from $1 through to $100, contained 25 Uncirculated Australian decimal banknotes.

The complete collection was estimated at $1,000–$2,000.

It hammered for $2,350 and realised $2,867 including buyer's premium.

As we have seen across several recent auctions, completeness and presentation can have a meaningful influence on bidder participation.

Auction 019 attracted 514 bidder registrations, only four fewer than the record 518 registrations recorded for Auction 018.

The bidding audience now extends across a broad range of collecting areas and price points, providing competition throughout the catalogue.

Auction 019 reinforced several trends we have observed throughout 2026.

Exceptional Australian pre-decimal coins continue to perform strongly when rarity, condition and provenance align. Gold remains a major component of the market, while Australian sovereigns continue to attract a broad collector base.

At the same time, some of the most interesting results came from outside the traditional headline categories.

Modern Perth Mint products, complete banknote collections, scarce medals and specialist world coins all attracted meaningful competition.

Perhaps most importantly, Auction 019 demonstrated the depth of the market.

Selling 1,215 lots from the largest catalogue Copeland Roberts has offered to date, while maintaining a clearance rate above 99%, shows that demand is not confined to a handful of trophy coins.

Accurate cataloguing, appropriate estimates, professional photography and access to a large pool of active bidders remain particularly important when bringing substantial collections to auction.

Copeland Roberts welcomes important individual coins, established collections, inherited holdings, bullion accumulations and complete numismatic estates.

We are particularly interested in Australian pre-decimal coins, sovereigns and half sovereigns, mint errors, complete decimal collections, Australian banknotes, world and ancient coins, precious metals and substantial established collections.

If you are considering selling a coin collection, our team would be pleased to provide a confidential, no-obligation assessment.

You can also read our guide to Selling a Coin Collection: Direct Sale or Auction? to learn more about the different options available when bringing a collection to market.

Robbie Colborne

Managing Director

Copeland Roberts