A bronze coin (25.5 mm diameter with plain edge) featuring a bare head of George VI facing left; around, GEORGIVS VI D: G: BR: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP: ; below the head in small lettering the artist's initials HP. The reverse features, a kangaroo leaping right; around above, AUSTRALIA; around below HALF PENNY. The date, 1939 is below the Kangaroo and the Federation star follows the word PENNY. The artist's initials, KG are below the kangaroo's tail near the rim.

This was the third issue in the name of George VI. A leaping kangaroo similar to that employed on the penny from 1938, but leaping right instead of left, was adopted for the new design. This reverse form remained in use until the last halfpenny in 1963.

Bare head of King George VI facing left; around, the monarch's legend in Latin GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP. (George the Sixth, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India); below the neck truncation in small letters are the artist's initials HP (for [Thomas] Humphrey Paget).

At centre a kangaroo leaping right; around above, AUSTRALIA; around below, the denomination HALF PENNY. The date 1939 is below the kangaroo and the seven pointed Federation star follows the word PENNY. The artist's initials, KG (for [George] Kruger Gray) are below the kangaroo's tail near the rim.

Remick's Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1649 - 1971 lists circulation mintage of 782,400 plus 100 proofs.