Prime Ministers autographs and giant gold nugget share auction billing

Autograph signatures of every Australian Prime Minister since Sir Edmund Barton will be auctioned from 2pm Tuesday May 19 by Mossgreen at 926-930 High Street, Armadale as part of its Australian & Colonial Antique & Historical sale.

While most of the signatures carry catalogue estimates of several hundreds of dollars, that of the third Prime Minister Chris Watson (1867-1941) is estimated at $10,000-$12,000.

This is because he was the first prime minister from the Australian Labour Party and the first in the world from the labour movement.

Of Chilean birth with German and New Zealand ancestry, Watson’s was the most difficult of all the Australian Prime Ministers autographs to obtain.

The auction also contains a complete collection of Australia’s first 25 Governors-General from 1901 Federation (Earl of Hopetoun) to 2014 (Quentin Bryce).

Another interesting item is the “Fair Dinkum” gold nugget weighing 2720 grams and carrying a catalogue estimate of $200,000-$220,000.

Discovered in Victoria near Wedderburn earlier this year, it is one of the most significant nuggets finds since the Hand of Faith in 1980.

Christened the Fair Dinkum nugget by the lucky but seasoned prospector, it was only because he had recently given up smoking that he found it in the first place.

Probably not in the best of moods following his decision, his wife and children suggested he spend more time outdoors.

A gold prospecting trip with friends followed – and the Fair Dinkum nugget was the result.