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The Australian halfpenny (or half penny) coin was the smallest circulating denomination of the Australian Pound. It has the same dimensions and composition as the British pre-decimal halfpenny, from which it is derived (for a time, the coins circulated in parallel and were interchangeable in Australia - but not in the United Kingdom; the currencies were fixed at par). 1/2 penny was worth 1/24 of a shilling, or 1/480 of a pound.
The reverse of the first type of Australian halfpenny coins featured text only. In 1939, this new design by George Kruger Gray superseded it - featuring the iconic leaping kangaroo.
Coins issued in 1943 were withdrawn at decimalisation in 1966 after 23 years in circulation, but have never been formally demonetised and are still legal tender.
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse of the coin shows the bare (uncrowned) head of King George VI facing left.
Below the neck truncation in small letters, the artist's initials HP (for [Thomas] Humphrey Paget).
Around, the monarch's legend: GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.. Translated from Latin: George the Sixth, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India.
On coins struck by the Bombay Mint in India, the additional mint mark I is below the front of the neck truncation. |
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| Reverse | |
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At centre a kangaroo leaping right; around above, AUSTRALIA; around below, the denomination HALF PENNY. The date 1943 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.
On coins struck in India, the denomination is rendered as .HALF PENNY. - dots before and after it represent the mint mark.
On coins struck by the Perth Mint, HALF PENNY. - the dot (smaller than the India ones) after PENNY represents the mint mark. |
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| Edge | Plain | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Remick's Guide and Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1649 - 1971 lists the following mintages:
Melbourne Mint: 41,025,600,
Bombay Mint: 6,000,006.
Krause catalogues list the following mintages:
- Melbourne Mint: 33,989,000
- Bombay Mint: 6,000,000
plus an unknown number of proofs from the Perth Mint.
The Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins 1649 - 1971 and earlier editions of Krause list a "no I" variety not listed elsewhere. |
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