The Australian Threepence (or three pence) is a small silver coin which was used in the Commonwealth of Australia prior to decimalisation. It has the same dimensions and composition as the British pre-decimal threepence, from which it is derived (for a time, the coins circulated in parallel and were interchangeable in Australia - but not in the United Kingdom). 3 pence were equal to one quarter of a shilling, or 1/80th of a pound.
The reverse of the first type of Australian threepence coins features the 1908 Coat of Arms. In 1938, this new design superseded it - featuring three stalks of grain; the old type of coins remained in circulation.
The coins were mostly struck by the Melbourne Mint, but during World War II its production was supplemented by coinage produced by the United States Mint:
- Melbourne Mint, 1938 - 1964, no mint mark
- United States Mint, San Francisco, 1942 - 1944, with S mint mark
- United States Mint, Denver, 1943, with D mint mark
- Royal Mint, 1951 only, letters PL for mint mark
The coins were made of sterling silver (composition: 0.925 silver, equal to 0.0419 oz ASW) until 1946; this was later debased to 50% silver (0.0226 oz ASW) while retaining the same design. They circulated until decimalisation and were withdrawn in 1966, when Australia switched to its current Australian Dollar currency. Unlike some of the larger denominations, they were not re-denominated into units of the new currency. However, the threepence coins were never formally demonetised and are still legal tender for 2½¢. |
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Three ears of wheat held by a curved ribbon. Around above, AUSTRALIA; around below, divided into two by the stalks of the wheat, the denomination THREE PENCE; above, across the middle of the coin the date [year] divided into two by the ears.
The artist's initials KG (for [George] Kruger Gray) are tucked, divided, into the first and last bends in the ribbon. |
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