Summary

Australia
Threepence 1953
Mint: Melbourne

This was the first issue of this denomination in the name of Elizabeth II. Reference to her role as Defender of the Faith (F:D: or FIDEI DEF:) in the obverse legend was omitted but after extensive complaint in Australia it was returned on the standard coinage from 1955 (it was first used on the commemorative florin for the Royal visit in 1954).

Physical Description

A silver coin (16 mm diameter with plain edge) featuring a laureate head of Elizabeth II facing right; around, + ELIZABETH . II . DEI . GRATIA . REGINA The artist's initials M.G. incuse on the bust truncation above the G of GRATIA. The reverse features three ears of wheat held by a curved ribbon. Around above, AUSTRALIA; around below devided into two by the stalks of the wheat, THREE PENCE, above, across the middle of the coin the date devided into two by the ears, 1953. The artist's initials tucked into the first and last folds in the ribbon K G

Obverse Description

Laureate head of Elizabeth II facing right, around, ELIZABETH . II . DEI . GRATIA . REGINA + The artist's initials M.G. incuse on the bust truncation above the G of GRATIA.

Reverse Description

Three ears of wheat held by a curved ribbon. Around above, AUSTRALIA; around below devided into two by the stalks of the wheat, THREE PENCE, above, across the middle of the coin the date devided into two by the ears, 1953. The artist's initials tucked into the first and last folds in the ribbon K G.

Edge Description

Plain

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