Australian Pre-decimal coins were minted in various locations here in Australia and overseas. To indicate where coins were minted they were often stamped with verifying marks such as letters or dots known as mintmarks. These letters or dots were always incorporated onto the dies and were struck with the coins. Some decimal coins have their mintmarks applied after striking. With some issues there were variances in the dies which were later used to determine which mint the dies originated but this is not necessarily their mint of origin.
Australia 1951PL Penny
Early George V obverse pre-decimals were struck at either London at the Heaton Mint in Birmingham or in India at the Calcutta Mint. The London struck coins had a tiny H below the bottom scroll on the reverse and the Indian coins have an I in the same position. In 1919 and 1920 Australian struck pennies were mintmarked with dots denoting their mint of origin. A dot below the bottom scroll indicated being struck at the Melbourne Mint or a dot above the bottom scroll indicating the Sydney Mint. From 1916 to 1921 for the threepence and sixpence, an M below the date on the obverse indicated being struck at the Melbourne Mint. Shillings (in 1915) and florins (1914 and 1915) with the Coat of Arms (George V) carried a H below the date on the reverse for the Heaton Mint or an M for the Melbourne Mint (1916-1919). Sydney minted shillings for 1921 only carried a star above the date.
The iconic kangaroo reverse of the halfpenny and penny shows us a dot after the Y of penny or a dot after the last A in Australia was for the Perth Mint. A PL after the Y indicates London Mint. An I mintmark on the obverse indicates India. On the penny designed by George Kruger Gray a dot between his initials K.G indicated the Perth Mint.
The wheat stalk reverse design of the George VII threepence showed either S, D or PL mintmarks. A clear S or D can be seen after the last E of threepence indicating S for San Francisco Mint or D for Denver Mint. For London minted coins a separated P and L can be seen either side of the base of the wheat seeds at the curve of the ribbon.
The sixpence with the George VII obverse displayed letters above the date. These were either S for San Francisco, D for Denver or PL for the Royal Mint in London.
Australia 1943 S Shilling
The ram reverse design shillings denoted an S mintmark above the N of shilling for the San Francisco Mint. A dot after the star and before the S of the word shilling indicated the Perth Mint. .
The Florins of George VII showed only one mintmark and this was a tiny S above the centre of the date indicating the San Francisco Mint.
Posted by harrisk at March 14, 2009 10:15 AM
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