package from Australia

Is it strange to say that someone you've never met in person is a "trusted and true" friend? Maybe in our age of blogs and chat boards and on-line hobbies and communication it is not such an odd thing to think or feel.

Since I've been collecting I've had some wonderfully generous acts of kindness done for me. On one website that I am a member of--tradingslabs.com----we do these kinds of things for eachother frequently. If any of us spy a coin that we know another collects--well we send them a link or heads up. Sometimes a member just buys it and sends it to another without warning. The same has been true of my friends here at Collectors Society and the NGC forums.

Since many know of my interest in sailing ship themed coins I get many heads ups from friends. The most recent was Gavin--aka RareSov who gave me a link to a new commemorative from Australia. I checked the Australian mint and wasn't able to find one ( they did have some at the Perth mint but I was unaware of them at the time). I emailed Rare Sov and told him I thought they were sold out--he told me of the Perth Mint stock but told me to wait since he ordered several and had sent them for slabbing by NGC. I told him I'd take one--no matter the grade and he gave me a price--which was LESS than what it cost him raw!!

I received my prize today from him in Australia..my beautiful new edition for my collection High Seas...just a wonderful act of kindness in that he under charged me, had it slabbed and paid nearly $10 to ship it secured Airmail. I hope this doesn't embarrass him that I mentioned it because I have found that often these random acts of kindness ( at the risk of sounding mushy) are not done for accolades but simply out of a good-heartedness.

I could fill several pages mentioning the nice things that fellow collectors have done for me...but the point is that we have a wonderful community within our hobby..thanks to all of you who send me the occasional message and heads up on potential additions to my collection--and rest assured that I have and will continue to "pay Forward" these acts of generosity...to all of my friends here, a heartfelt thank you..

Here's a quickie picture..2008P Australia S$25 the Australia II racing ship--NGC PF69UCAM...PS: Rare Sov even sent me the mint packaging which includes a piece of the sail from this ship and an extra bonus coin --a twelve sided 50c piece with the Australia II