1954 Australian Florin

Description

The Australian Florin is a silver coin which was used in the Commonwealth of Australia prior to decimalisation. It has the same dimensions and composition as the British pre-decimal florin, from which it is derived (for a time, the coins circulated in parallel and were interchangeable in Australia – but not in the United Kingdom). A Florin is equal to two shillings, or 24 pence, or one tenth of a pound.

The reverse of the first type of Australian florin coins features the 1908 Coat of Arms; it became obsolete almost immediately, since Australia received a new Coat of Arms in 1912. In 1938, a new design superseded it – featuring the new Coat of Arms; the old type of coins remained in circulation. Unlike other denominations, some florin circulating commemoratives were also issued.

The coins were struck by five different mints:
– Royal Mint, 1910 – 1915, no mint mark
– Birmingham Mint (ex Heaton and Sons), 1914 – 1915, letter H
– Melbourne Mint, 1916 – 1936, letter M to 1919, then no mint mark
– Sydney Mint, 1924 – 1925, no mint mark
– United States Mint, San Francisco, 1942 – 1944, with S mint mark

Until 1945, the coins were made of sterling silver (92.5%), weighing 11.31 g (0.3636 troy ounces) with an actual silver weight of 10.46 grams (0.3363 oz ASW). This was later debased to 50% silver while retaining the same design.

After decimalisation on 14 February 1966, the florin was re-denominated as 20 cents and continued to circulate for a time, along with the new 20¢ coins which were the same size and weight (but made of copper-nickel). Even though they were practically withdrawn from circulation in 1966, the florin coins were never formally demonetised and are still legal tender.

Effigy of the ruling British monarch, legend (in Latin). Being a Dominion of the British Empire, Australia used the Imperial legend of the monarch and not a “home” version of it.

Throughout the existence of the coin type, the monarchs were:
– King Edward VII, 1910 only, shown in his Crowned bust by George William de Saulles
– King George V, 1911 – 1936, shown in his Crowned bust by Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal
– King George VI, 1938 – 1952, shown in his Bare Head portrait by Thomas Humphrey Paget
– Queen Elizabeth II, 1953 – 1963, shown in her First Effigy by Mary Gillick

There were no coins released for King Edward VIII.

The first regular circulating reverse (1910 – 1936) features the Ensigns Armorial of the Commonwealth of Australia, as authorised by Royal Warrant 7th May 1908:

At centre, simple shield enclosing a cross of Saint George on which are five six-pointed stars, around the outside of which are six small escutcheons (small shields). The shield is supported by a kangaroo and an emu standing on a grassy mound. Above the shield a crest, the seven-pointed star of Federation on a wreath and on a ribbon at the base, the motto ADVANCE AUSTRALIA is inscribed.

Around above, the value and denomination ONE FLORIN – TWO SHILLINGS; below, between arrow heads, the date [year].

The second regular circulating reverse (1938 – 1963) features the arms of the Commonwealth of Australia, as authorised by Royal Warrant 19 September 1912 – composed of a shield divided into six parts, each containing a representation of the badge of a State (although that of South Australia is depicted as three sheaves of wheat above a rising sun instead of the authorised Piping Shrike).

The shield is supported by a kangaroo and an emu standing on a grassy mound accompanied by small branches of wattle. Above the shield is a crown instead of the Federation star. Around above, the denomination FLORIN between two seven pointed stars; below, in the exergue, the date [year] curved below which, AUSTRALIA.

The artist’s initials K·G (for [George] Kruger Gray) are in the field above the back of the emu.

There were also four different one-year circulating commemorative types:
– the Parliament House Florin in 1927
– the Melbourne Florin (Centenary of Victoria) in 1934
– the Federation Jubilee Florin in 1951
– the Royal Visit Florin in 1954

Additional information