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Australian Florins
1947 Australian Silver Florin
50% Silver
The Reserve banks had machines which could detect and remove the older coins and these were often taken to events such as the Royal Easter Show in Sydney in order to recover the older coinage.
In August 1956 the Government shipped nearly £3 million of recovered silver to repay the balance of the silver owed for the coins made by the US during WWII
This is one of the reasons for the higher mintages and conversely, why mintages of coins are not always true guides to rarity.
11,000,000
The coins of George VI face the same way as his father, this is not a break with tradition. It was more correctly an allowance for what might have happened if Edward VIII had coins released bearing his portrait.
Carries the first type of the George VI obverse. This is the last florin to carry this obverse.
These coins are can often hold great eye appeal in high grade but beware, they are a very poorly struck issue.
Perhaps the combination of the much larger runs, new harder alloy and cost restraints meant this is notorious for poorly struck coins, in fact, Gem coins are impossible, Choice Unc would be about best, strike being what lets most of these down.
Points to consider when grading the reverse are:
- the Emu's back feathers;
- the shoulder and haunches of the kangaroo;
- the orb on the crown;
- the sharpness of details on the denticles, lettering, crown and shield;
- the rim for dents and nicks;
- A weak strike will show in the grass and the crown, wattle wreath and the detail of the shield.
Specifications
| Composition: | 50% Silver 40% Copper 5% Nickel 5% Zinc |
| Silver Content: | 0.1818 oz |
| Edge: | Reeded |
| Weight: | 11.31 grams |
| Size: | 28.5 mm |
| Obverse: | Thomas H Paget |
| Reverse: | George Kruger Gray |