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Two of this ultra-rare Aussie coin go up for auction

Not one but two of Australia's most legendary rare coins – the 1930 penny – are up for grabs to the highest bidder this week.

While pennies were commonplace currency at the time, only approximately 1500 copies of the 1930 penny are believed to exist.

Minted at the Melbourne Mint during the Great Depression, it's believed the coins may have been struck in error as there was no formal Treasury request to strike pennies that year.

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One of the pennies going to auction in Brisbane from Wednesday has already attracted an early bid of $16,000.

The other will open for bidding at $17,500.

"Auction 154 offers collectors another opportunity to secure exceptional pieces, from legendary Australian rarities through to important international issues," Roxbury's Auction House Director Scott Waterman said.

Also going up for auction this week is a scarce 1914/15 "Rainbow Pound" emergency banknote.

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These one-pound notes were hastily printed without security features to fill a currency shortage following the outbreak of war, and then withdrawn from circulation in April 1915.

Collectors will also have the chance to get their hands on an iconic 1813 New South Wales 'Dump', one of Australia's earliest coins.

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