2014 Perth Mint PNC - First Air Mail 100th Anniversary

An Australian postage milestone was made in July 1914. French aviator Maurice Guillaux took off from Melbourne Agricultural Grounds on 16 July bound for Sydney, with a cargo of souvenir postcards, official letters and a small number of parcels. Guillaux load was light, as his Bleriot XI monoplane was only powered by a Gnome rotary engine of around 50 horse power.

The aviator was challenged by inclement weather as he winged his way north, stopping at Seymour, Wangaratta, Albury, Wagga Wagga, Harden, Goulburn and Liverpool before landing to much fanfare at Sydney’s Moore Park at 2.50pm on 18 July. The flying time of this two-day aviation feat was just 9¼ hours.

All PNC's remain in excellent condition.