DRIVING INNOVATION IN NUMISMATICS
From humble beginnings to an industry leader, our mission has always been clear – empower the Australian collector.
Scott Waterman, Director at Imperial Coins, first started trading out of his garage in Melbourne at the age of 22, starting a numismatic company then and there and going on to handle some of Australia’s most famous coin collections. Around the same time Michael Cotton, Founder of Cotton & Co, began dabbling in the numismatic world, first selling coin jewellery before quietly amassing his own inventory of collectable coins that needed a new home.
Scott Waterman
Michael Cotton
A partnership was established, and Imperial Coins began to take shape.
As the inventory grew so did the team, alongside the services offered to the numismatic community. A relationship with Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) was formed, and we became the first and only official PCGS partner in Australia. The Cotton & Co coin rolling program was also established, making us the only company in Australia to offer private coin rolling and coin roll certification.
At the same time we became registered with the Australasian Numismatic Dealers Association (ANDA), ensuring our commitment to transparency and adherence to the association’s Code of Conduct.
Alongside numerous industry-leading initiatives, we became the largest coin seller on eBay Australia – with over 240,000 items sold since 2011. The Australian Coin Review, one of the worlds oldest numismatic print publications, was also recently acquired by the company, going through a redesign and relaunch in 2023 that has collectors across the country excited for it’s future.