Australia’s First Postmaster Tribute Delivers for Collectors

The Perth Mint has released a stunning commemorative coin to celebrate the 200th anniversary of postal services in Australia. The release remembers the historic appointment of Isaac Nichols, as a prisoner who became a prominent land owner then public servant when he was appointed as the first Postmaster of New South Wales in March 1809.

A former convict who had impressed authorities with his dillegence and sobriety, Nichols introduced the secure and orderly distribution of mail brought to the isolated colony by ship.

Prior to his appointment, news hungry residents of Sydney Town rushed to the foreshore, where, in the chaotic scramble for letters and parcels, items were either lost or damaged, while unscrupulous people took advantage of the mayhem to obtain mail fraudulently. Read the rest of this entry »