Australia 1947 3 pence
This specimen was lot 3911 in Stephen Album sale 39 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2021), where it sold for $156. The catalog description[1] noted, "AUSTRALIA: George VI, 1936-1952, AR threepence, 1947, PCGS graded MS64." When the threepence was first struck in Australia for George VI in 1938, the alloy was still the same sterling silver as when the coin was first introduced in 1910. This alloy was maintained thru the war. No threepences were struck in 1945 or 1946, leftover stocks from San Francisco and Denver apparently being ample. When production resumed at Melbourne in 1947-48, the alloy was reduced to billon (0.500 fine). The 1947 is scarce, the 1948 is common. Neither bear a mintmark. In 1949, the king's title was modified to drop the "IND:IMP." (KM 44) and struck in that form until 1952. In 1953, queen Elizabeth displaced the deceased George VI and silver threepences were struck for her until 1964. Decimalization converted the shilling into a ten cent coin and the sixpence into a five cent coin but there was no decimal equivalent for the threepence, which was not replaced.
Recorded Mintage: 4,176,000.
Specification: 1.41 g, 0.500 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-37a.
- McDonald, Greg, The Pocket Guide to Australian Coins and Banknotes, 23rd ed., Lavington, Australia, 2017.
- Pitt, Michael, Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values, 32nd Edition, Matraville, New South Wales, Australia: Renniks Publications, 2023.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 39, featuring the John Sylvester, Jr., Collection of Annamese Medals and Orders, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2020.
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