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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 In 1938, this new design superseded it - featuring three stalks of grain; the old type of coins remained in circulation.
Coins issued in 1947 were withdrawn at decimalisation in 1966 after 19 years in circulation, but have never been formally demonetised and are still legal tender.
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| Mint | Melbourne Mint |
Mint Mark | No mint mark |
Total Mintage |
4,176,000 (4.2 million)
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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.
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| Reverse | |
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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 1947 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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| Edge | Plain | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | The Australian Coin Chart 1965 lists mintage of 4,824,000. |
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