Coins_of_the_Australian_pound

Coins of the Australian pound

Coins of the Australian pound

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Pre-decimal Australian coins arose when the Federation of Australia gave the constitutional power to Commonwealth of Australia to mint its own coinage in 1901. The new power allowed the Commonwealth to issue legal tender rather than individually through the six former British self-governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia.

Early Australian Imperial Coins—1926 half penny, 1911 penny, 1923 threepence, 1928 sixpence, 1936 shilling, 1936 florin, 1927 florin, and 1937 crown.
Late Australian Imperial Coins—1954 half penny, 1964 penny, 1963 threepence, 1960 sixpence, 1960 shilling, 1962 florin, 1951 florin, and 1954 florin.

However, with the adoption of a Federal government in Australia, British coins continued to be used until 1910 when the first Australian silver coins were introduced. These new coins, which included florins, shillings, sixpences and threepences, were all minted with a portrait of Edward VII. A year later Australian pennies and half-pennies entered circulation. Unlike in New Zealand, there was no half-crown. In 1931 gold sovereigns stopped being minted in Australia. A crown or five-shilling coin was minted in 1937 and 1938.

Coinage of the Australian pound was replaced by decimalised coins of the Australian dollar on 14 February 1966. The conversion rate was A$2 = A£1.

Australian £sd

In 1898 the British government allowed two colonies, New South Wales and Victoria, to mint silver and bronze coins at their mints in Sydney and Melbourne respectively.

Debasement

In 1946, due to costs incurred during World War II,[citation needed] the silver content of the coins was reduced from 0.925 to 0.500 of the coin weight,[citation needed] which lasted until decimalisation on 14 February 1966. One coin highly sought-after by collectors is the 1930 penny.[1][2]

Coins

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Pre-decimal commemorative coins

Florin = 2 shillings

  • 1927 Australian florin commemorating the opening of the original Parliament House
  • 1934-35 Australian florin commemorating the centenary of Victoria and the establishment of Melbourne
  • 1951 Australian florin commemorating 50 years of the Commonwealth of Australia
  • 1954 Australian florin struck to commemorate the visit to Australia of Queen Elizabeth II on 3 Feb 1954.
  • The obverse of the commemorative 1927 Australian florin, with
    King George V
  • The obverse of the commemorative 1934-35 Australian florin
  • The obverse of the commemorative 1951 Australian florin, with
    King George VI
  • The obverse of the commemorative 1954 Australian florin, with Queen Elizabeth II

References

  1. [1]
    "The 1930 penny". Triton Technologies. 14 July 2001. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  2. [2]
    "Proof 1930 penny sold for $1.15 million". Coinworks. Retrieved 20 January 2022.

General references
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