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The Australian penny was a coin used in the Commonwealth of Australia before decimalisation in 1966. It was introduced in 1911 and last minted in 1964. The Australian penny was equivalent in its dimensions and value to the British pre-decimal penny. While many penny varieties are common, some are extremely rare and valuable, such as the 1930 penny, which is the most valuable copper penny in the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of introduction | 1911 |
| Year of last minting | 1964 |
| Value | 1⁄240 Australian pound |
| Obverse | Reigning Australian monarch (George V, George VI or Elizabeth II) |
| Reverse | Kangaroo (for pennies bearing George VI and Elizabeth II) |
| Rarity | The 1930 penny is one of the rarest Australian coins |
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What You'll Learn
- The Australian penny was introduced in 1911 and production ceased in 1964
- The 1930 penny is one of the rarest Australian coins and is highly sought after by collectors
- The Australian penny was a coin of the Australian pound, which followed the £sd system
- The obverse of the coin featured the reigning Australian monarch: George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II
- The Australian penny was used in the Commonwealth of Australia prior to decimalisation in 1966
The Australian penny was introduced in 1911 and production ceased in 1964
The Australian penny was introduced in 1911, a year after the country's first silver coins were minted. These new coins included florins, shillings, sixpences, and threepences, all bearing a portrait of Edward VII. The Australian penny was a coin of the Australian pound, following the £sd system. It was equivalent in both dimensions and value to the British pre-decimal penny, as the two currencies were originally fixed at par.
The obverse of the Australian penny featured the reigning Australian monarch—George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II. All pennies bearing George VI and Elizabeth II had a kangaroo on the reverse, an image that has since been included on the Australian dollar coin and the bullion silver kangaroo.
The Australian penny was used in the Commonwealth of Australia before decimalisation in 1966. One Australian penny was worth 1/240 of an Australian pound. The last Australian penny was minted in 1964, and after decimalisation on 14 February 1966, the penny was equal to 0.8333 cents.
While many Australian penny varieties are common, some are extremely rare and valuable. The 1930 penny, for instance, is one of the rarest Australian coins due to a very small number being minted. It holds the record as the most valuable copper penny in the world and is highly sought after by collectors. Other "hard-to-get" years include 1925 and 1946, although they are not as valuable as the 1930 penny.
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The 1930 penny is one of the rarest Australian coins and is highly sought after by collectors
The Australian penny was a coin of the Australian pound, which followed the £sd system. It was used in the Commonwealth of Australia before decimalisation in 1966. The coin was introduced in 1911, and the last penny was minted in 1964.
The 1930 penny is one of the rarest Australian coins. It is highly sought after by collectors and is considered Australian "numismatic" royalty. The coin was minted at the Melbourne Mint, and only a small number were ever produced. It is believed that the minting of these pennies was accidental, as no formal request was received from the Treasury to strike circulating coins. The Melbourne Mint officially recorded the striking of six proof pennies from 1930. Three of these are held by private collectors, and the other three are held in public institutions: the British Museum, the Museum of Victoria, and the Art Gallery of South Australia.
The 1930 penny has been a popular coin since its discovery by Sydney coin collector Fritz Schaefer between 1940 and 1944. It is particularly famous because it was minted during the Great Depression. The design was created by Melbourne-born Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal, the first Australian artist to be knighted. The design features the King wearing the Imperial State Crown, with precious stones on the band, often referred to as the diamonds and pearls. The value of the 1930 penny depends on its condition, and a coin in very fine condition can be worth A$45,000 or more.
Due to the popularity of the 1930 penny, many counterfeit versions exist. Collectors should be cautious of forgeries, as there are some tell-tale signs that a coin may not be genuine. For example, the zero in the date of a genuine 1930 penny will have a fat and wide "O", while forgeries tend to show a more elongated "0". An unnaturally bright surface is also a giveaway, as the patina of a genuine coin takes more than 90 years to mature.
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The Australian penny was a coin of the Australian pound, which followed the £sd system
The obverse of the coin featured the reigning Australian monarch. Three monarchs were featured: George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II. All pennies bearing George VI and Elizabeth II had a kangaroo on the reverse. The kangaroo image was also on the Australian half-penny and has since been included on the dollar coin and the bullion silver kangaroo.
There were some rare and valuable varieties of the Australian penny. The 1930 penny, for instance, is one of the rarest Australian coins due to a very small number being minted. It holds the record as the most valuable copper penny in the world and is highly sought after by coin collectors. Other "hard-to-get" pennies include those minted in 1925 and 1946, though they are not as valuable as the 1930 penny.
The Australian penny was one of the first Australian silver coins introduced after the Federation of Australia gave the constitutional power to the Commonwealth of Australia to mint its own coinage in 1901. The new power allowed the Commonwealth to issue legal tender, rather than leaving it to the six former British self-governing colonies individually.
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The obverse of the coin featured the reigning Australian monarch: George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II
The Australian penny was introduced in 1911 and minted until 1964. It was a coin of the Australian pound, which followed the £sd system. The coin was equivalent in its dimensions and value to the British pre-decimal penny, as the two currencies were originally fixed at par.
The obverse of the coin featured the reigning Australian monarch. Three monarchs were featured: George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II. All of the pennies bearing George VI and Elizabeth II had a kangaroo on the reverse. The kangaroo image was also on the Australian half-penny and has since been included on the dollar coin and the bullion silver kangaroo.
The 1930 penny is one of the rarest Australian coins due to a very small number being minted, and it holds the record as the most valuable copper penny in the world. It is highly sought after by coin collectors, and a 1930 penny in very fine condition can be worth A$45,000 or more. The 1930 penny has remained Australia's most well-known rare coin since it was first discovered by Sydney coin collector Fritz Schaefer between 1940 and 1944.
Other rare pennies include the 1925 and 1946 pennies, which can be obtained for under $150. There are also some valuable varieties of the Australian penny. Most of these arose from either historical events that impacted the normal operation of the country's coin mints or intended changes in the coin minting processes. For example, there is a cluster of 1931 penny varieties that evidence an experimental period of penny production at the Melbourne Mint.
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The Australian penny was used in the Commonwealth of Australia prior to decimalisation in 1966
The Australian penny was a coin used in the Commonwealth of Australia before the country adopted a decimal currency in 1966. The penny was first introduced in 1911, and the last penny was minted in 1964. The coin was part of the Australian pound's £sd system, with one penny being worth 1/240 of an Australian pound.
The Australian penny was equivalent in size and value to the British pre-decimal penny, as the two currencies were originally fixed at par. This was because, in 1901, the Federation of Australia gave the Commonwealth of Australia the constitutional power to mint its own coinage. However, British coins continued to be used until 1910, when the first Australian silver coins were introduced. These new coins included florins, shillings, sixpences, and threepences, all featuring a portrait of Edward VII.
The obverse of the Australian penny featured the reigning Australian monarch, with three monarchs appearing on the coin over time: George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II. All pennies bearing George VI and Elizabeth II featured a kangaroo on the reverse. The kangaroo image was also used on the Australian half-penny and has since been included on the dollar coin and the bullion silver kangaroo.
Some Australian pennies are rarer than others and are highly sought after by coin collectors. For example, the 1930 penny is one of the rarest Australian coins due to a very small number being minted, and it holds the record as the most valuable copper penny in the world. Other rare pennies include those from 1925 and 1946, though they are not as valuable as the 1930 penny.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian penny was a coin used in the Commonwealth of Australia before decimalisation in 1966. It was first introduced in 1911 and was last minted in 1964.
The Australian penny was equivalent in dimensions and value to the British pre-decimal penny as the two currencies were originally fixed at par. Therefore, the Australian penny has the same diameter as the British pre-decimal penny, which is 30.8mm.
Yes, the 1930 penny is one of the rarest Australian coins due to a very small number being minted. It is highly sought after by coin collectors and is the most valuable copper penny in the world. Other rare pennies include the 1920 and 1925 pennies.
