Sixpence 1951, Coin from Australia

Sixpence 1951, Coin from Australia (withdrawn 1966)

Coin	Sixpence 1951

The Australian Sixpence (or six 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 sixpence, from which it is derived (for a time, the coins circulated in parallel and were interchangeable in Australia - but not in the United Kingdom). 6 pence were equal to half a shilling, or 1/40th of a pound.

The sixpence is the only pre-decimal Australian coin which never had the design on its reverse altered. That is especially surprising given that the Coat of Arms (1908) depicted was obsolete for almost all of that time, having been superseded in 1912.

After decimalisation on 14 February 1966, the sixpence was re-denominated as 5 cents and continued to circulate for a time, along with the new 5¢ coins which were the same size and weight (but made of copper-nickel). Coins issued in 1951 were in practice withdrawn in 1966 after 15 years in circulation, but have never been formally demonetised and are still legal tender.

Mint	Mint mark	Total Mintage
Royal Mint London	Letters PL	20,024,000 (20.0 million)
Melbourne Mint	No mint mark	13,760,000 (13.8 million)

Obverse

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 FIDEI DEF.. Translated from Latin: George the Sixth, by the Grace of God, King of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith.

Obverse Inscription	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX FIDEI DEF.

Reverse

The reverse features the Ensigns Armorial of the Commonwealth of Australia, as authorised by Royal Warrant 7th May 1908.

At centre, simple shield enclosing a cross of Saint George on which are five six-pointed stars, around the outside of which are six small escutcheons (small shields). The shield is supported by a kangaroo and an emu standing on a grassy mound. Above the shield a crest, the seven-pointed star of Federation on a wreath and on a ribbon at the base the motto ADVANCE AUSTRALIA is inscribed.

Around above, the denomination SIXPENCE; below, between arrow heads, the date 1951.

The mint mark, if any (PL for the Royal Mint in London, no mint mark for coins struck by the Melbourne Mint) is in tiny letters under the ribbon and above the date.

Reverse Inscription	SIXPENCE 1951 ADVANCE AUSTRALIA

Edge	Milled	Edge Inscription	None

Sixpence 1951: Known varieties

Variety	Proof (Royal Mint London)
Images
Mintage	Issued: unknown

Sixpence 1951: References to Information Used

Source	Edition	About	Link	Notes
Museums Victoria Collections	2016	Coin description	link
Renniks, Australian Coin and Banknote Values	1965	Mint
Renniks, Australian Coin and Banknote Values	1965	Mintage
Australian Coin Chart	1965	Mintage
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins	1971	Varieties		Proof

All (45) coins of type: Sixpence

Coin Name	Mintage	Effigy	Legend
Sixpence 1910	3,046,635	Portrait by George William de Saulles (Crowned Bust)	EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1911	1,000,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1912	1,600,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1914	1,800,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1916	1,769,025	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1917	1,632,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1918	915,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1919	1,521,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1920	1,476,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1921	3,795,288	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1922	1,488,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1923	1,453,038	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1924	1,038,191	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1925	3,266,307	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1926	3,609,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1927	3,592,040	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1928	2,721,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1934	1,024,100	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1935	392,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1936	1,800,000	King George V - Crowned Bust, by Mackennal	GEORGIVS V D. G. BRITT: OMN: REX F. D. IND: IMP: ·
Sixpence 1937 (pattern)	unknown	Coat of Arms of Australia, 1908	None
Sixpence 1938	2,864,250	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Sixpence 1939	1,600,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Sixpence 1940	1,600,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Sixpence 1941	2,912,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Sixpence 1942	24,968,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Sixpence 1943	12,000,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Sixpence 1944	4,000,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Sixpence 1945	10,096,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Sixpence 1946	10,024,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Sixpence 1948	1,584,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP.
Sixpence 1950	10,272,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX FIDEI DEF.
Sixpence 1951	33,784,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX FIDEI DEF.
Sixpence 1952	2,112,000	King George VI - Bare Head	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX FIDEI DEF.
Sixpence 1953	1,152,000	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA
Sixpence 1954	7,672,000	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA
Sixpence 1955	14,249,200	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F: D:
Sixpence 1956	7,905,500	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F: D:
Sixpence 1957	13,753,256	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F: D:
Sixpence 1958	17,945,506	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F: D:
Sixpence 1959	11,729,506	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F: D:
Sixpence 1960	18,593,509	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F: D:
Sixpence 1961	9,153,506	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F: D:
Sixpence 1962	44,818,016	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F: D:
Sixpence 1963	25,061,042	Queen Elizabeth II - First Portrait	+ ELIZABETH · II · DEI · GRATIA · REGINA · F: D:

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Sixpence 1951: Details

Country	Australia
Currency	Australian Pound
Coin Type	Sixpence
Issued	1951
Monarch	King George VI
Effigy	King George VI - Bare Head, by Thomas Humphrey Paget
Reverse	Coat of Arms of Australia, 1908
Face Value	6 (x Penny)
Total Mintage	33,784,000 (33.8 million)
Current	No; withdrawn 1966
Material	0.500 Silver
Designer	William Henry James Blakemore
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Orientation	Medal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size	19.0000 mm
Mass	2.8200 g
OCC ID	PNXY-DENZ-CWDX-EVRB

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Sixpence 1951: Photos

Image	Details
	Proof Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1951 Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Naomi Andrzejeski Notes: Proof. Royal Mint London. Source
	Proof Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1951 Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Naomi Andrzejeski Notes: Proof. Royal Mint London. Source
	Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1951 Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Naomi Andrzejeski Notes: Melbourne Mint. Source
	Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1951 Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Naomi Andrzejeski Notes: Melbourne Mint. Source

Sixpence 1951: Catalogue Reference IDs

Source	Reference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins	Australia KM# 45
Renniks, Australian Coin and Banknote Values	D40 (Melbourne Mint) and D41 (Royal Mint London)
Australian Coin Chart	S35 (Royal Mint London) and S36 (Melbourne Mint)

Relevant Links

Museums Victoria: Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1951 (Melbourne Mint)

Museums Victoria: Proof Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1951 (Royal Mint London)

TDK Australian Pre-Decimal coins: 1951 m Australian Sixpence

TDK Australian Pre-Decimal coins: 1951 pl Australian Sixpence

Sixpence 1951, Coin from Australia - detailed information