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Australian Shillings

1938 Australian Silver Shilling

Sterling Silver
With the death of George V in 1936 the crown passed to his elder son, Edward VIII but he abdicated before any Australian coins were struck bearing his likeness. His younger brother assumed the throne as George VI.
The 1938 shilling has a dot after the date, but is part of the design and not a mint mark
First Year of Rams head design and first year to have George VI obverse. George Kruger-Grey designed the reverse from the champion merino ram at the Sydney Sheep Show in 1933.
In the Myatt/Hanley book Australian Coins, Notes & Medals the ram is named as Burrabogie OI from near Hay in NSW and was owned by Mr A A Neilson Mills.
In the April 1991 Australian Coin Review, Mick Vort Ronald names the ram as Uardry 0.1 (Hallmark) but as being from the same owners.

Mintage
1,484,000

Collectors should consider acquiring most of the King George VI series in Choice Uncirculated or better coins, these are still affordable with the greatest possible upside.
When looking at the Ram's head reverse the points to look at are:
  • The ram's forehead,
  • The nose,
  • The tip of the right horn,
  • The whole coin should be considered when grading including lustre, the fields, denticles and rim condition.
  • A weak strike shows in the lack of definition in the wool on the forehead and the first bulge under the chin, the forehead can even appear to be flat, there may also be a lack of definition in the horns.

Specifications
Composition: .925 silver
Silver Content: 0.1680 oz
Edge: Reeded
Weight: 5.65 grams
Size: 23.5 mm
Obverse: Thomas H Paget
Reverse: George Kruger Gray


Articles
Date Publication Page Article Subject Author
1991 April ACR
Volume 8
Number 9		 p32 "RAM - The Real Aussie Merino" Discusses origin of the RAM on our shillings and 1991 50c coin Michael P Vort-Ronald
CAB
Volume -
Number -		 p- "-" - -


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