Quick Coinage Facts
Years Minted: 1911-1936
Composition: 0.97 copper, 0.025 zinc, 0.005 tin
Diameter Type: 30.8 mm
Weight: 9.4 grams
Total Series Mintage: 69,015,999 (circulation)
Obverse Design: Bust Design
Reverse Design: Denomination
Unique Features: Plain (smooth)
Introduction
1911 was the first year of minor (copper) coinage for an independent Australia (a Commonwealth Nation). The penny was the largest denomination of copper coinage and is a popular series among collectors due to its large size and affordability in lower grades.
Coins were initially minted in the London, Heaton, and Calcutta mints (1911-18) until Australia's Melbourne, Sydney, & Perth Mints came on line in 1919, 1920, & 1922 to assume coinage production. The Perth mint only minted coins in 1922 and coins had no recognizable marks making them indistinguishable from those issued at the Melbourne mint.
Description
The obverse, designed by Sir E. B. MacKennal, features the bust image of King George V facing left. On the outer periphery are the words "GEORGIVS V D.G. BRITT : OMN : REX F.D. IND : IMP" (latin for "George V, by Grace of God, King of all the Britons, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India").
The reverse, designed by W. H. J. Blakemore, features a simplistic design with the denomination “ONE PENNY” within a cricle and decorative scrolling above & below the denomination. On the outer periphery are the words “COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA” and year of issue. On some issues, above the date, may be a mint mark “H” (Heaton) or “I” (Calcutta) and early London issues (1911 to 1915) carried no mint mark.
The Melbourne & Sydney minted coins carried no mint marks and were indistiquishable from one another with the exception of 1920 issues where a dot above the lower reverse scroll signified coins issued from Sydney and with a dot below the lower reverse scroll signified coins issued from Melbourne.
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General Market Notes
Excluding proofs & errors, the key to the series is the 1930 issue while the semi-key is the 1925 issue.