The first distinctive Australian Silver coins were issued in 1910, the copper coins followed in 1911.
The first silver coins actually minted in Australia were struck in 1916 at the
Melbourne Mint and the first copper coins in 1919. Australian coins have been
minted at the following mints - Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Canberra, London,
Birmingham, Denver, San Francisco, Calcutta and Bombay.
From 1910 to 1945 the silver content to Australian coins was .925 Fine. The
rising silver prices caused a reduction of silver content in the minting of
coins down to .500 Fine. When Australian currency was changed to decimal in
1966, cupro-nickel coinage was introduced. The only exception being the 50 cent
coin which was .800 silver. This was issued for only the one year and was
replaced in 1969 by a cupro-nickel issue.
As decimal coinage was introduced in 1966 the old sterling system coins were
progressively withdrawn from that time.
|
Crown |
| The Crown was only issued in 1937 and 1938. The 1938 is scarcer due to a lesser
mintage. The crown was withdrawn due to its cumbersome size. |
|
Florin |
| Type |
Issued |
Not Issued |
| Edward VII |
1910 |
|
| George V |
1910 to 1936 |
1920, 1929, 1930 |
| George VI |
1938 to 1952 |
1948, 1949, 1950 |
| Elizabeth II |
1953 to 1963 |
|
Four special Commemorative Florins were issued:
1927 - Parliament House
1934/35 - Melbourne Centenary
1951 - Federation House
1954 - Royal Visit |
Florin key dates:
Very Rare - 1937 pattern
Rare - 1914H, 1915 and 1932
Scarce - 1911, 1912, 1933 and 1939 |
|
Shilling |
| Type |
Issued |
Not Issued |
| Edward VII |
1910 |
|
| George V |
1910 to 1936 |
1919, 1923, 1929, 1930, 1932 |
| George VI |
1938 to 1952 |
1937, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1951 |
| Elizabeth II |
1953 to 1963 |
|
Shilling key dates:
Very Rare - 1937 pattern
Rare - 1915, 1915H, 1921*, 1933
Scarce - 1911, 1912, 1914, 1924, 1939, 1940 |
|
Sixpence |
| Type |
Issued |
Not Issued |
| Edward VII |
1910 |
|
| George V |
1910 to 1936 |
1913, 1915, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933 |
| George VI |
1938 to 1952 |
1937, 1947, 1949 |
| Elizabeth II |
1953 to 1963 |
|
Sixpence key dates:
Rare - 1918
Scarce - 1922, 1924, 1939, 1952, 1953 |
|
Threepence |
| Type |
Issued |
Not Issued |
| Edward VII |
1910 |
|
| George V |
1910 to 1936 |
1913, 1929, 1930, 1931 |
| George VI |
1938 to 1952 |
1937, 1945, 1946 |
| Elizabeth II |
1953 to 1964 |
|
Threepence key dates:
Very Rare - 1937 pattern
Rare - 1915, 1922/21 over date
Scarce - 1912, 1923, 1942M, 1947 |
|
Penny |
| Type |
Issued |
Not Issued |
| George V |
1911 to 1936 |
|
| George VI |
1938 to 1952 |
1937, 1954 |
| Elizabeth II |
1953 to 1964 |
|
Penny key dates:
Very Rare - 1937 pattern
Rare - 1920 no dots, 1930
Scarce - 1925, 1946 |
|
Half Penny |
| Type |
Issued |
Not Issued |
| George V |
1911 to 1936 |
|
| George VI |
1938 to 1952 |
1937, 1956, 1957, 1958 |
| Elizabeth II |
1953 to 1964 |
|
Penny key dates:
Very Rare - 1916 mule
Rare - 1923
Scarce - 1915, 1918, 1939 Roo |
|
|
