3 Pence - George V

The 1911 Australian threepence was minted following the passage of the Coinage Act of 1909, which established a distinct currency system for the Commonwealth of Australia. Issued shortly after the death of King Edward VII, this first-year issue marked the introduction of coinage bearing the portrait of King George V to the Australian public, signaling the formalization of the nation's financial independence from British-only minted currency.

The coin's design features the effigy of King George V by Sir Bertram Mackennal on the obverse and the Australian coat of arms on the reverse. Mackennal, an Australian-born sculptor, was the first colonial artist selected to design British coinage, and his work was lauded for its clean, neoclassical execution. The 1911 series remains a cornerstone for numismatists as it represents the inaugural year of Australian-issued silver coins, cementing its historical importance in the transition toward a sovereign Australian currency.