A Flamboyant Thief's Extraordinary Coin Heist

A librarian holds an Australian gold coin that David Gee liked.

Coins are ordinary for most people.

Coins show value. You trade them for things. Sometimes, coins help with other tasks.

Some people really like rare coins. They want them badly.

David Gee did a big coin heist in Australia.

A podcast tells this story.

A picture shows a person exploring a library's collections.

David Gee was noticeable in Sydney.

Gee liked coins and had many interests. He came to Australia as a child and started collecting coins.

A numismatist describes Gee as exciting.

The numismatist talks about Gee's coins.

Gee used fake names.

A numismatist became interested in coins as a boy.

He remembers buying his first rare coin.

Gee was passionate about coins, but not always honest.

Gee went to the State Library of NSW.

A picture shows the inside of the library.

Gee used a fake name to access the library's collections.

A librarian describes Gee as cheerful.

The librarian talks about Gee's behavior.

Gee said he was writing a book about coins.

The librarians found Gee annoying.

Gee wanted to see the coins, but the librarians had to watch him.

A librarian spent a lot of time with Gee.

Gee gave the librarians champagne, but they had to return it.

A picture shows the Dixson Collection.

Gee studied the coins and then made replicas.

Gee had a new plan to switch the coins.

The switch involved a camera and a box.

The librarian was suspicious, but Gee was allowed to continue.

Years later, experts found out about the fake coins.

A numismatist noticed that some coins were fake.

A good forger can make undetectable replicas.

The library checked the coins, but it was a difficult process.

Gee's fake coins were everywhere.

Gee was a skilled forger and a liar.

Gee was jailed, and the libraries were worried.

The library's coins are now in a secure room.

The story of Gee is still known today.

The librarians joke about the theft now.

Gee's fake coins are valuable because of their story.

Gee was a skilled artist and a liar.

A picture shows some old coins.

Australian currency has a criminal history.

In the early days, there was no local currency.

The governor wanted to create a currency for the colony.

A man named Henshall helped create the currency.

Henshall was in Sydney because he was deported for forgery.

You can listen to a podcast about this story.