Snorpley

As an Aussie it pains me to agree with you. 😂

I’m very green when it comes to the hobby, so reaching out to the guys here for their take was a great idea.

I’ve got similar marks on my quarter, @BiigT, sorry you got ‘em too. Wanting my ‘stuff’ to be ‘perfect’ is a flaw I remember having back in my early teens at least. I really need to take a step back (literally and figuratively). That said, I’m also big on holding manufacturers to a decent level of quality, particularly when they set that expectation themselves via the marketing material (on the Proof strikes especially). I hope you get the result you’re after. All the best.

@Shepyour advice: 'don't get your loupe out', are words I'm going to live by from here on in.

So less than 12 hours after I emailed RM asking for tracking info (or just 'if' it had shipped yet), it turned up on the doorstep! Capsules still closed and being held in position (which was probably my biggest concern). Had a quick look at the coins under a 10x loupe I have. The quarter definitely has a decent mark (it shimmers, so i don't think it is dust), to the point where once I know where it is, I can see with the naked eye. In hindsight perhaps I should've bought individual coins rather than the 3 coin set, as I more or less tripled the chance that something would not be 'perfect'. At this point I'm glad the product is in hand, and right now I'm not highly motivated to go through the returns rigmarole from Australia. As a result I don't know if I would buy more Proof coins in a hurry. I have a few SOTD BU Sovs, all of which have specs of frosting missing in places, and I suppose I was hoping that I would see the highest-levels-of-craftsmanship from a proof example. I'm new to coins to I'm probably still finding my feet in terms of expectation Vs reality (with lots of help from you guys!), but I'm beginning to wonder if my almost OCD-level obsession for things I own to be blemish-free, means that this might not be the hobby for me haha. Perhaps I should just be looking more at Perth Mint coins, as the whole purchase/shipping/returns process would be much better for me. All the best my friends, S.

Thanks @jultorsk! Yeah I knew I was going to blow through the 1000 dollars when buying this set. Ah well. I'll definitely check-in with Customer Service early next week. The wait doesn't bother me so much as the concern of not being around when it comes to the door. Your Sov in still in transit though? Hopefully you have it in hand very soon. Cheers Mate

I'll keep an eye out for a similar email. Awaiting 3-coin set to Australia. Status is: Money taken, closed order marked 'dispatched', no tracking email.

@GoldDiggerDave nothing sad about that hobby, and I was thinking that BEFORE I read the second half of your post (your finds)

Wondering if my fellow Aussies have started receiving anything gold and shiny in the post lately? (I have not).

Hi all, I'm a new collector from Australia in my mid forties. My interest in coins is relatively recent, and my introduction to them came via my dad. During his working life my dad worked in banking at several branches around New South Wales. Turning 80 next year, he has seen a couple of changes to currency and even bigger changes to banking(don't get him started on online-banking), with the gold sovereign probably being his favourite coin. He talks about the 2 that he owned in his life, about how he (regrettably) cashed one in, and had the other set in a necklace which my older sister wears. He's a huge fan of QE2. I suppose he has a more relevant back story than I do. I have always enjoyed collecting 'things' since I was little, and my own penchant for nostalgia means that coin collecting is a nice fit and a bug that I'm surprised didn't bite me a lot earlier. I'm a graphic designer by trade so I also like to have an opinion on the design of the coins. On some level though, I am probably just facilitating dad's hobby as much as my own. We're both getting a bit of a kick out of it and I think on a long enough timeline it won't cost as much as some other hobbies can. Put it this way, it's not keeping food off the family table. Yet. I know they aren't to everyones taste, but I am a bit of a sucker for the idea of the SOTD sovereigns (the concept, more than the Matte BU strike). I/we have the Albert & Victoria 200s from 2019, which I was particularly interested in because my son (who share's my dad's name) was born in that year. I also recently ordered the 3 coin set for the Platinum Jubilee, but judging from what I've seen from other recipients, I'm expecting little more than a few coins dancing around freely in a mashed up cardboard box! Ha. Time will tell. Thanks for all the advice / input I've been reading whilst a 'lurker'. I'm happy to be finally out of the shadows! All the best, S.