Australia 1938 3 pence

Heritage sale 3020, lot 23094

photo courtesy Heritage Auction Galleries

This specimen was lot 23094 in Heritage sale 3020 (Long Beach, September 2012), where it sold for $9,400. The catalog description^[1] noted, "George VI Proof Threepence 1938(M), Proof 66 NGC, full mint brilliance with flashy reflective surfaces. A rare early Australian Proof with a mintage of 250, certainly one of the finest known and by far the top certified example." This type was struck at the Melbourne mint 1938-43 with help from the San Francisco and Denver mints 1942-44. All the dates are common except for the proofs of 1938-39. Australia maintained the sterling silver standard until 1945, years after Great Britain had debased her coins to .500 fine.

Recorded mintage: 4,560,000 plus 250 proofs.

Specification: 1.41 g, 0.925 fine silver, 16 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: KM 37.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• McDonald, Greg, The Pocket Guide to Australian Coins and Banknotes, 23rd ed., Lavington, Australia, 2017.
• ^[1]Tucker, Warren, and Cris Bierrenbach, Heritage Signature Auction 3020: World Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2012.

Link to:

• 1920-M threepence
• 1926-P sovereign
• 1938 ½ penny
• 1938(m) penny
• 1938 florin
• 1938 crown
• 1943-D threepence
• Coins and currency dated 1938
• return to coins of Australia