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Australia 1939 Halfpenny (Kangaroo Reverse)

Mint:Melbourne Mintage:Part 782,400 Estimate 781,400 Milling:Plain
Weight:5.67 grams Diameter:25.5 mm Composition:97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin
Click to enlarge
Wear
Obverse 3 - English
Click to enlarge
Wear
Reverse Bm - London (melbourne modified)
Designer: Thomas Hugh Paget (Initials 'HP' raised below truncation)
Design:Left facing profile of George VI
Legend:GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D : IND : IMP .
Denticle Count:147 teeth
Mint mark: None
Designer: George Edward Kruger-Gray (Initials 'KG' raised under tail)
Design:Kangaroo facing right *
Legend:AUSTRALIA HALF PENNY
Denticle Count:106 thick & 106 thin teeth
Mint mark: None
Characteristics:
Click on Wear to show high points first susceptible to wear
Value
BM
Ad
NP
8
Good
VG10
10
VG
F12
12
about F
F15
15
Fine
VF20
20
good F
VF25
25
about VF
VF30
30
Very Fine
VF35
35
good VF
EF40
40
about EF
EF45
45
Ext Fine
AU50
50
good EF
AU53
53
about Unc
AU55
58+
virt Unc
AU58
58-60
Uncirc
MS60
58-61
Uncirc
MS61
58-62
Uncirc
MS62
63-64
Choice Unc
MS63
64-65
near Gem
MS64
65-66
Gem
MS65
66-67
Gem
MS66
67-68
Gem
MS67
68
near Flaw
MS68
69
virt Flaw
MS69
70
Flawless
MS70
Proof
B
$5
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$8
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$12
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$30
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$40
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$50
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$60
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
1
 
$75
+
NGC
2
 
PCGS
3
 
$100
+
NGC
6
 
PCGS
14
 
$125
+
NGC
5
 
PCGS
15
 
$175
+
NGC
6
 
PCGS
16
 
$200
+
NGC
6
 
PCGS
30
 
$300
+
NGC
9
 
PCGS
33
 
$400
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$500
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
2
 
$600
+
NGC
2
 
PCGS
19
1
$1250
+
NGC
4
 
PCGS
42
 
$2250
+
NGC
2
 
PCGS
21
 
$4000
+
NGC
1
 
PCGS
1
 
$6000
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$9000
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
-
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
-
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
-
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
Y
RB
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$175
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$200
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$300
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$400
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$500
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
1
 
$600
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$1000
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$1500
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
1
 
$2500
+
NGC
1
 
PCGS
9
 
$4000
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
14
1
$7500
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$10000
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$15000
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
-
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
-
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
-
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
Y
R
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
"
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$600
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$1000
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$1500
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$2500
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$4000
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$7500
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$10000
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
$15000
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
-
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
-
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
-
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
-
+
NGC
 
 
PCGS
 
 
Y
BM
Benchmark
Ad
Adjectival
NP
NGC/PCGS
Collectable grades
Does not exist by definition

Investment grades
-
Unlikely to exist

Aspirational grades
BV
Bullion or metal value

Not known in these grades
''
Value as above
Proof
Y (Yes)
N (Not known)
Last updated March 2024
Notes:
The 1939 Halfpenny started out with the long standing • COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA • reverse introduced in 1911, but during the year's production a new design was adopted featuring a scaled down version of the new kangaroo reverse used on the pennies. However, on the halfpennies the kangaroo was reversed to face right whereas on the pennies it faced left. The positioning of the designer's initials, 'K.G', was also moved to below the tail from its position above the tail on the pennies.

There were two distinct versions of the new 'Roo' reverse used on the halfpennies. The first unaltered London reverse is rare and is characterised by very detailed fur lines on the paws of the kangaroo and on the underside of the tail and the ear, as well as a series of prominent rib lines found at the juncture of the leg and torso. However, these features may only be visible on early strikes and so the easiest diagnostic feature for this variety is the double foot in the 'Y' in 'HALFPENNY'.

The common reverse with alterations undertaken by the Melbourne Mint, is generally less detailed and the rib lines on the Kangaroo have largely disappeared except for light evidence on the proofs. The most visible difference on this type is the foot of the 'Y' of 'HALFPENNY' which is truncated on the right hand side, and is best described as having a single foot. Since 1919, the Melbourne Mint had a record of altering dies, and the slight differences to the design would have occurred when a new master hub was created from the London master. The dies derived from this new master went on to produce the bulk of the 1939 'Roo' halfpennies, and the altered design was used exclusively by the Melbourne and Perth mints on halfpennies throughout the 1940s.