Greg Zehnder’s family ties with early Western Australian colonial history are one reason he is such an avid collector of numismatic coins from The Perth Mint. 

He is a descendant of Peter Broun, who arrived in the Swan River colony on the Parmelia in 1829 and was the first colonial secretary of the settlement.  

Greg appreciates the role that the Mint has played in the State’s history, with 125 years turning WA gold into value-added precious metals products that are exported to the world. 

The retired schoolteacher and deputy principal has had an interest in coins since his high school days when decimal currency was introduced. He has been collecting silver coins from the Mint for decades. 

“I started out collecting coins with an Australiana theme, especially the wildlife ones, and I’ve branched out from there,” Greg says. 

His extensive collection now includes series on military history and popular culture releases such as James Bond, Dr Who and Star Trek.  

“I’m fascinated with the artwork on the coins, the imagination involved in creating them and the skills involved in applying the colour,” he says. 

“As a proud Western Australian, I have a lot of respect for The Perth Mint as an institution.”