1930 Penny PCGS VF35BN
Whilst 1930 pennies have been popular in all grades, the better-grade coins have been particularly so amongst the top end. Coins with six pearls, part centre diamond, and most or all of the lower band visible in the crown have been particularly sought after. The present example, photographed above, is one such coin. This specific coin is doubly special, as it has a pedigree that stretches back to the 1970s, when Athol Tiver purchased the coin from Laurie Nugent. Both Athol Tiver and Laurie Nugent are known in the hobby, the former as a prestigious collector of banknote and coin rarities, and the latter as a coin dealer in Adelaide. Canberra coin dealer Kevin Ayres acquired the coin in 1986, and had it authenticated by coin experts at the Royal Australian Mint, who deemed the coin genuine. (This authenticity certificate accompanies the coin.) Mr Ayres sold the coin for $5,550 later that year, and the coin subsequently remained in the collection of a northwest Sydney collector for over thirty years. After submitting the coin to coin graders PCGS, with whom it achieved an above-average VF35 grade, we placed the coin into the collection of an avid Canberra collector in 2020; the collector sold it back to us in 2024 due to a change in personal circumstances. If you’re a serious collector who has been chasing a higher-grade 1930 penny, this is your coin. Professional Coin Grading Service is the global leader in coin authentication and grading. With over 60 million coins graded and counting, PCGS is trusted by collectors, dealers, and investors to certify authenticity, protect value, and elevate market confidence. This is a direct conversion of the 70-point PCGS grade to a 10-point scale, intended to present the grade in a more intuitive format for newer collectors. It is not our personal opinion or an attempt at regrading the coin to a different standard. To understand how the 70-point scale converts to a 10-point scale, [click here](https://drakesterling.com/en/page/the-ten-point-coin-grading-scale).