Settings Subscribe  

NumisTip

Australia George V

1911 Specimen One Penny

Values

Sales History

Current listings

?

In 1911 specimen pennies represent the first copper coins struck for Australia and were produced at the Royal mint London. Fewer than 10 sets of half penny to florin are known to have been struck, most of which currently reside in museums such as the Museum of Victoria which has one complete 1911 specimen set which was transferred from the Royal mint London to the Royal mint Melbourne in 1912 and later found its way to the Museum of Victoria (Museum Victoria, 2010) . The penny is similar to Royal mint proof of record strikes of the era, having been struck from a polished die producing a mirror finish though this effect will likely have been lost through toning leaving a dull finish completely devoid of cartwheel lustre. The striking is always full as one would expect from the Royal mint London and rim beading will be perfectly even though such is true for business strikes and as such shouldn't be used as a diagnostic criteria. In most cases provenance is the best method for differentiating a specimen strike from an early business strike.