Australia 1921 penny
This specimen was lot 74295 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2025), where it sold for $3,120. The catalog description[1] noted, "AUSTRALIA. Penny, 1921. Melbourne or Sydney Mint. George V. PCGS MS-65 Red Brown. Variety with Indian obverse. Eminently Gem with brilliant surfaces that display a medley of electric blues, teals, and original mint red. Light notes of die cracks circle the obverse peripheral legends. From the Richard Margolis Collection." The silver coinage for Australia commenced in 1910 but bronze pennies and halfpennies were not struck until 1911. As such, none were struck with the effigy of Edward VII. This type was struck at the London mint 1911-15, at Heaton 1915, Calcutta 1916-18 and the Melbourne mint 1919-36 tho not all dates bear mintmarks. This date is common. Australia maintained the sterling silver standard until 1945, years after Great Britain had debased her coins to 0.500 fine.
Recorded mintage: 7,438,000.
Specification: 9.4 g, bronze, 30.8 mm diameter, designed by E.B. MacKennal.
Catalog reference: KM-23.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients, World Coins & World Paper Money, David B. Simpson Medals & World Coins Part 1, Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection, and Selections from the L. E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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