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Numismatics & Philately Collection

Image: Australia, 5 Shilling, Obverse

Source: Museum Victoria

The Numismatics and Philately Collections offer a window into societies and their values, particularly officially sanctioned values. They have a worldwide coverage of coins, historical medals, military medals, paper money, share scrip and stamps.

The most extensive parts of the collection are of Australian and British Commonwealth material. The Australian coin collection is the most important of its kind in the world, containing unique reference material retained by both the Melbourne and Sydney mints.

The Numismatic collection reflects the economic, political and technological histories of societies. It is primarily built up from the collections formed by the National Gallery of Victoria and the Melbourne Mint, and products from the Canberra Mint are still obtained.

It includes the collection of the artist Eugene von Guerard and groups of medals awarded to important Victorian figures including Frederick McCoy, Redmond Barry and Ferdinand von Mueller, together with many internationally significant pieces collected for the 1879, 1880 and 1888 Australian international exhibitions.

The Philately collection comprises stamps, envelopes, covers and commemorative sets. It includes a collection of colonial Australasian stamps and an important collection of world airmail stamps to 1950. Australia Post's National Philatelic Collection is also held in Victoria. Together, these form an internationally significant resource.

Significant items

Melbourne Mint and Sydney Mint coin collections.
British Commonwealth coins.
Pre-decimal Australian reference coins.
Australian and New Zealand trade tokens.
Gold-rush period token dies including those from the Kangaroo Office.
Acclimatisation Society Medals.
First trial for a token manufactured in Australia.
Original press and gold scales from Melbourne Mint.
Australia's first coins (holey dollars and dumps), 1813.
1888 Melbourne International Exhibition Ceremonial key and medal.
European art medals, particularly by French artists, and Australian art medals.
Colonial Australasian stamps.
Antarctic stamps and medals.
British Commonwealth stamps, 1935-1954.
World stamps issued for airmail 1913-1953.
Share scrip collection, with particular emphasis on Victorian gold mining.
Australian internment camp currency.

Items per page: 10 50 (showing 1 - 10) 10575 items

First Day Cover - Earth Hour, Stamps & Medals, Australia, 2009

First day cover released on 11 March 2009, including three stamps and three medals representing Earth Hour, which that year was 8.30pm on 28 March. The stamps feature designs by Hoyne D ...

Images: 1
Love Token - Ann Parkin, England, Great Britain, 1780

Love Token inscribed Ann Parkin, 1780 (AD). The token has been engraved on reverse of a George III halfpenny. Love tokens were often commissioned by convicts before they were transport ...

Images: 4
Love Token - Elizabeth Bird, England, Great Britain, 1810

Love Token inscribed Elizabeth Bird, 1810. It has been engraved on the obverse of a 1797 British penny. Love tokens were often commissioned by convicts before they were transported to ...

Images: 4
Love Token - J.K. Died, England, Great Britain, 1847

Love Token inscribed J.K. Died, July 19 1847. Love tokens were often commissioned by convicts before they were transported to Australia, as a memento for their loved ones. Itinerant en ...

Images: 4
Love Token - William Maskell, England, Great Britain, 1818

Love Token from William Maskell to his sister dated 1818. Love tokens were often commissioned by convicts before they were transported to Australia, as a memento for their loved ones. ...

Images: 4
First Day Cover - Olympic Games, Australia, 1956

First Day Cover produced in 1956 as a souvenir of the Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia. The stamped, addressed and franked envelope is sealed but empty. It was posted to the donor' ...

Images: 2
First Day Cover - Olympic Games, Australia, 1956

First Day Cover, produced in 1956 as a souvenir of the Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia. The stamped, addressed and franked envelope is sealed but empty. It was posted to the dono ...

Images: 2
Stamps - Wildlife Caring, Rescue to Release, 60 Cents, Australia, 5 Oct 2010

The stamp issue features six native animals in care. It encourages an awareness of threats to native animals and the importance of wildlife caring - from rescue through rehabilitation t ...

Images: 1
Stamp - Wildlife Caring, Rescue to Release, 1 Dollar & 20 Cents, Australia, 5 Oct 2010

The stamp issue features six native animals in care. It encourages an awareness of threats to native animals and the importance of wildlife caring - from rescue through rehabilitation t ...

Images: 1
Medal - 1914-1915 Star, Australia, 1918

Great Britain, Australia 1914 - 1915 Star Awarded to: 452 PTE. L. TWEEDIE. 16/BN. A.I.F. The 1914 - 15 Star was authorised in 1918 to be awarded to those who saw service between 5 Augus ...

Images: 2