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Australia's Early Coinage [2] Trivia Quiz

Another ten questions about Australia's numismatic past, concentrating mainly on the lower denominations.

A multiple-choice quiz by DPX. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
DPX

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
307,431

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
342

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Australian pennies were minted from 1911-1964. Assembling a complete year set of this denomination is very difficult, which three dates are the most likely to be missing from a collection? Hint

1919, 1930, 1949

1911, 1920, 1959

1925, 1930, 1946

1932, 1943, 1948

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Question 2 of 10

2. Pennies were minted for circulation in every year of the 1930s. (1930-39) True or False?

True

False

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Question 3 of 10

3. In 1919 the Commonwealth government considered replacing the large bronze penny and half penny coins with smaller, lighter coins made from nickel. Which of the following best describes the design of these new coins? Hint

Octagonal coin featuring an emu on the reverse

Round coin featuring a kookaburra on the reverse

Hexagonal coin featuring a dingo on the reverse

Square coin featuring a kookaburra on the reverse

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Question 4 of 10

4. Moving to the half penny now, with a mintage of approximately 15,000 pieces, which year is considered to be the scarcest for this denomination?

Answer: (A year of the 1920s. Billy Hughes resigned as Prime Minister the same year)

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Question 5 of 10

5. When a coin is minted with the reverse die of one type of coin and the obverse of a different type of coin, it is known as a "Mule". Such a coin was created in 1916 when Australian half pennies were minted with the obverse die for which type of coin? Hint

Canadian Fifty Cent

Australian Florin

British One Shilling

Indian Quarter Anna

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Question 6 of 10

6. In 1939 two different reverse designs were used for the half penny coin, the older "Commonwealth Of Australia" design and the new kangaroo design. Which is the rarer of the two types?

Answer: (Either Commonwealth or Kangaroo)

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Question 7 of 10

7. Moving to the silver coins now, most of the silver coins issued during the reign of George VI were minted in Melbourne, however for certain years in the 1940s and 1950s Australian silver coins were also produced at which other mint? Hint

Denver Mint, USA

Royal Mint, London

All of these

San Francisco Mint, USA

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Question 8 of 10

8. There are several Australian overdate error coins recorded, where one of the numbers of a coin's date has another number visible beneath it. The most famous example of this error for three pence coins is the 1924/25 overdate. True or False?

True

False

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Question 9 of 10

9. Shillings minted in 1921 are something of an oddity in the entire run of Commonwealth silver coins. What makes these coins unusual? Hint

The Star mint mark above the date

The letters AD after the date

It is the only coin that has the date on the obverse (Head side)

They were actually struck in bronze and then silver dipped

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Question 10 of 10

10. Australian silver Florins were minted from 1910-1963. During this run there were four commemorative issues struck, in which years were these four special coins issued? Hint

1913, 1927, 1944-45, 1953

1924, 1934-35, 1946, 1957

1920, 1930, 1937, 1950

1927, 1934-35, 1951, 1954

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Australian pennies were minted from 1911-1964. Assembling a complete year set of this denomination is very difficult, which three dates are the most likely to be missing from a collection?

Answer: 1925, 1930, 1946

The 1930 penny, the "King" of Australian coins had an approximate mintage of just 3000, only around 1500 survive today and they can command hundreds of thousands of dollars. The second rarest date with a mintage of 117,000 is the 1925 and third is the 1946 with a mintage of 363,000 coins. Most other dates have mintages in the millions - in some cases tens of millions.

2. Pennies were minted for circulation in every year of the 1930s. (1930-39) True or False?

Answer: False

No 1937 pennies were minted for circulation. Several trial 'Pattern' coins bearing this date were created, only around six of these pieces exist in private collections. They are rarely offered for sale and command six figure sums.

Answer: Square coin featuring a kookaburra on the reverse

Another rarity of Australian numismatics, the "Square Kookaburra" pennies and half pennies. Several different test 'pattern' pieces were created from 1919-1921 in cupro-nickel and silver but were never officially circulated.

4. Moving to the half penny now, with a mintage of approximately 15,000 pieces, which year is considered to be the scarcest for this denomination?

Answer: 1923

Although more than a million half pennies were minted in 1923, only 15,000 used the 1923 dies. The vast majority were created with dies bearing the previous year's date. Examples of this coin range in value from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

Answer: Indian Quarter Anna

Australian bronze coins were minted at the Calcutta mint in India from 1916-1918. The obverse die for an Indian Quarter Anna coin was accidentally mixed with an Australian half penny reverse die during production. Only around ten examples of this rare "Mule" coin are known to exist.

6. In 1939 two different reverse designs were used for the half penny coin, the older "Commonwealth Of Australia" design and the new kangaroo design. Which is the rarer of the two types?

Answer: kangaroo

The "39 'Roo" is a much rarer coin than it's "Commonwealth" counterpart, with mintages of 782,000 and 4,670,000 respectively. The penny of this year was the kangaroo version only.

Answer: All of these

Due to a shortage of local silver during the Second World War, some coins were minted in the USA. The San Francisco mint produced 3 pence, 6 pence, shilling and florin pieces, Denver produced 3 pence and 6 pence pieces. In 1951 the Royal mint produced 3 pence and 6 pence pieces.

Answer: False

False, the overdate is actually 1921/22. Only around 900 coins were struck and they are highly sought after by collectors. There is also a later overdate 1933/34 three pence which although scarce has a much lower value than the earlier coin.

9. Shillings minted in 1921 are something of an oddity in the entire run of Commonwealth silver coins. What makes these coins unusual?

Answer: The Star mint mark above the date

The 1921 Star Shilling is the only silver Commonwealth coin easily identifiable as being struck at the Sydney mint, due to the star above the date. No other silver coins produced in Sydney during this era carry a mint mark, only a few of the coins minted in Melbourne are mint marked, the majority of silver coins from both mints carry no mint mark at all.

10. Australian silver Florins were minted from 1910-1963. During this run there were four commemorative issues struck, in which years were these four special coins issued?

Answer: 1927, 1934-35, 1951, 1954

The 1927 Parliament House Florin commemorates the opening of Parliament house, Canberra as the seat of government. The 1934-35 Centenary florin commemorates the anniversary of the founding of Victoria in 1834 and Melbourne in 1835. The 1951 Federation Florin commemorates 50 years of Federation and the 1954 Royal Visit florin commemorates the first visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Australia.

Source: Author DPX

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ozzz2002 before going online.
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