½ Penny - Elizabeth II (1st Portrait; with "F:D:")
Australia • ½ Penny • Bronze (97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin) • 1959–1964
- Denomination
- ½ Penny
- Issuer
- Australia
- Struck
- 1959–1964
- Composition
- Bronze (97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin)
- Currency
- Pound
- Weight
- 5.67 g
- Diameter
- 25.5 mm
- Catalog refs
- KM 61 · Schön 43
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The 1959 Australian halfpenny was minted during the latter portion of the reign of Elizabeth II, featuring the first portrait of the Queen designed by Mary Gillick. This portrait, which shows the monarch wearing a laurel wreath, was adopted for Australian coinage in 1953 and remained in use until 1964. These coins were struck in bronze and served as a standard unit of currency under the pre-decimal system, which was based on the British pound sterling.
This particular issue is distinguished by the inclusion of the 'F:D:' abbreviation, which stands for 'Fidei Defensor' or 'Defender of the Faith'. This Latin title was a traditional part of the royal style on Commonwealth coinage; however, its presence on Australian coins was a subject of legislative and public debate. The controversy eventually led to its removal from later Australian issues, making this 1959 specimen a notable example of the transitional period in Australian numismatic design.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
Who's collecting this
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About ½ Penny - Elizabeth II (1st Portrait; with "F:D:")
½ Penny - Elizabeth II (1st Portrait; with "F:D:") is a coin in the Coins catalog on collecto.rs. Australia • ½ Penny • Bronze (97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin) • 1959–1964. Catalog data is sourced from Numista. No collectors on collecto.rs publicly track this coin yet — adding yours would make you the first.
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½ Penny - Elizabeth II (1st Portrait; with "F:D:") doesn't have any public collectors on collecto.rs yet. Sign up to add it and become the first.
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Where does the ½ Penny - Elizabeth II (1st Portrait; with "F:D:") catalog entry come from?
The catalog entry for ½ Penny - Elizabeth II (1st Portrait; with "F:D:") is sourced from Numista. Catalog-level facts stay consistent across every collector; your own data (condition, edition, acquisition notes) is yours.
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