Quick Coinage Facts
Years Minted: 1927
Composition: 92.50% Silver, 7.50% Copper
Diameter: 28.5 mm
Weight: 11.310 grams (0.3363 oz. actual silver weight)
Total Series Mintage: 2,000,000
Unique Features:
Introduction
Australia's very first commemorative also happens to be one of the most collected denominations among Australian coin collectors. Issued for only one year, the 1927 Parliament Florin was issued to celebrate the opening of the Provisional Parliament House in Canberra.
Featuring a beautiful and complicated reverse design, it was also minted with a 92.5% silver composition and a diameter of 28.5mm. Between the design, silver content, and fairly large size this coin would fit perfectly into anyone's world coin collection.
Design
The obverse design features the bust of Britain's King George the V facing left. On the outer periphery are the words “GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT: OMN: REX F.D. IMD: IMP:”
The reverse was designed by George Kruger Gray and features an ornamental image with the Australian parliament house in center and the date of issue below. On the outer periphery are the words “PARLIAMENT HOUSE AUSTRALIA” and denomination “ONE FLORIN”. Just below the date (flanking both sides of the lower design) are the designer's initials “K” and “G”.
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Old Parliament House
After World War I, a committee was established to relocate the Commonwealth Capitol from Melbourne to Canberra. To facilitate the move, the Provisional Parliament House (often referred to as the Old Parliament House) was erected until a more permanent building could be constructed.
The building was opened on May 9, 1927 and remained in operation until 1988 when the completion of the New Parliament House opened on May 9, 1988.
General Market Notes
Being both a Florin (most collected Aussie denomination) and also Australia's very first commemorative make this a popular coin and always in demand with collectors.
Luckily, when the coins were issued, many were saved as souvenirs by both collectors and non-collectors alike. Acquiring one for your collection should pose little problem. Even in better grades of AU or BU the price begins to climb but remains available and somewhat affordable to most collectors.