Australia 1951 PL Halfpenny

Mint:	London & Heaton	Mintage:	(L) 6,960,000 + (H) 5,040,000 = 12,000,000	Milling:	Plain
Weight:	5.67 grams	Diameter:	25.5 mm	Composition:	97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin

Click to enlarge

Back

Wear Next Prev

Obverse 4 - English

Click to enlarge

Back

Wear Next Prev

Reverse B - London

Designer:	Thomas Hugh Paget (Initials 'HP' raised below truncation)
Design:	Left facing profile of George VI
Legend:	GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX FIDEI DEF .
Denticle Count:	146 teeth
Mint mark:	None
Characteristics:	'I's in 'FIDEI' align with denticles

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:	'HALF PENNY' 'PL'
Characteristics:	Downstrokes on 'H' of 'HALF' align with thin denticles Double foot on 'Y' of 'HALF PENNY' Strong fur lines in ear Short edge denticles Left cross-bar on 'Y' of 'HALF PENNY' may be straight or hooked

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	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS 1	$3 + NGC 2 PCGS 3	$5 + NGC PCGS	$10 + NGC PCGS	$15 + NGC 3 PCGS 3	$30 + NGC PCGS 11	$40 + NGC 1 PCGS 10	$60 + NGC 1 PCGS	$125 + NGC PCGS	$250 + NGC PCGS	$500 + NGC PCGS	- + NGC PCGS	- + NGC PCGS	Y
RB	" + NGC PCGS	" + NGC PCGS	" + NGC PCGS	" + NGC PCGS	" + NGC PCGS	" + NGC PCGS	" + NGC PCGS	" + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	BV + NGC PCGS	$5 + NGC PCGS	$10 + NGC PCGS	$20 + NGC PCGS	$40 + NGC PCGS 3	$50 + NGC 1 PCGS 16	$75 + NGC 3 PCGS 55 1	$150 + NGC 2 PCGS 26	$300 + NGC PCGS	$600 + NGC PCGS	$1000 + 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	$10 + NGC PCGS	$20 + NGC PCGS	$40 + NGC PCGS	$50 + NGC PCGS	$75 + NGC PCGS	$150 + NGC PCGS 19	$300 + NGC PCGS 38	$600 + NGC 1 PCGS 12 1	$1000 + NGC PCGS	$2000 + NGC PCGS	- + NGC PCGS	- + NGC PCGS	Y

Click here for Half Penny quick reference price guide

Benchmark

Adjectival

NGC/PCGS

Collectable grades

Does not exist by definition

Investment grades

Unlikely to exist

Aspirational grades

Bullion or metal value

Not known in these grades

Value as above

Proof

Y (Yes)
N (Not known)

Last updated April 2024

Notes:

The London Mint received an order late in 1951 for 12,000,000 Australian halfpennies. However, the branch mint at Perth had already released 1951 dated coins without a mint mark, and so, in a major break with tradition, the London Mint was forced to distinguish its coins by employing a new 'PL' mint mark. London was unable to complete the order on time, and in turn was obliged to sub-contract part of the order to the Heaton Mint, Birmingham which used the same mint mark. A study of the left cross-bar on the 'Y' of 'HALFPENNY' reveals some coins with a straight bar and some with a hook. The proofs of this date have a straight bar confirming these coins were struck in London. A limited survey we conducted of about 300 coins roughly split 60/40 (in line with the numbers struck by London and Birmingham) with the straight bar proportionately more common, and so it is makes sense that the hook on the cross-bar was a deliberate marker to distinguish the coins that were struck at the Heaton Mint.