Florin 1953, Coin from Australia - detailed information

The obverse of the coin shows the laureate young laureate bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right - her effigy known as the "First Portrait". The laurel wreath in the Queen's hair is tied with a ribbon with two ends flowing behind.

The designer's initials, M.G. (for Mary Gillick) appear incuse on the base of the shoulder truncation, and can be seen when the coin is viewed at an angle.

The monarch's legend runs continuously all around the bust: + ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA. Translated from Latin: Elizabeth the Second, by the grace of God, Queen.

The reverse features the arms of the Commonwealth of Australia, as authorised by Royal Warrant 19 September 1912 - composed of a shield divided into six parts, each containing a representation of the badge of a State (although that of South Australia is depicted as three sheaves of wheat above a rising sun instead of the authorised Piping Shrike).

The shield is supported by a kangaroo and an emu standing on a grassy mound accompanied by small branches of wattle. Above the shield is a crown instead of the Federation star. Around above, the denomination FLORIN between two seven pointed stars; below, in the exergue, the date 1953 curved below which, AUSTRALIA.

The artist's initials K·G (for [George] Kruger Gray) are in the field above the back of the emu.

This was the first issue for Queen Elizabeth II.

Some specimens (proofs) were produced this year for official purposes only. According to CoinFactsWiki:

"Struck for Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953, a minuscule total of twelve, penny through florin, sets were officially produced at the Melbourne Mint, with the entire mintage ending up in the possession of the Chase Manhattan Bank in New York for their currency museum. Clearly, later deaccessioned or distributed, less than half of these have made their way to auction over the following six decades. The Halfpenny, missing from the standard Coronation set, was actually struck separately at the Perth mint (identified by the dot after Australia). While the true mintage remains unknown, its rarity likely even surpasses that of the sets."

The Australian Coin Chart 1965 lists mintage of 13,466,000.