Coin
½ Penny - George V (1915) — Australia
Australia • 1915 • KM# 22, Schön# 13
Overview
A 1915 bronze ½ Penny coin from Australia, part of the Standard circulation coins series featuring King George V. Minted at the Heaton Mint.
Specifications
- Country
- Australia
- Year
- 1915
- Composition
- Bronze
- Weight
- 5.67 g
- Diameter
- 25.5 mm
- Thickness
- 1.7 mm
- Mint
- Heaton and Sons / The Mint Birmingham (Heaton and Sons / The Mint Birmingham Limited), United Kingdom (1850-2003)
- Mintmark
- H
- Shape
- Round
- Technique
- Milled
- References
- KM# 22, Schön# 13
- Issuer
- Australia
Design details
Obverse
Crowned and robed bust of George V facing left. Lettering: GEORGIVS V D.G.BRITT: OMN:REX F.D.IND:IMP: B. M.
Reverse
In the center within a circle of beads, the words ONE HALF PENNY in three lines above a plain scroll; around the circle of beads, COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.
Collector insights
- Design heritage: Edgar Bertram MacKennal (obverse), William Henry James Blakemore (reverse) is credited as the designer for the Standard circulation coins series. Designer attribution helps distinguish this issue from later restrikes or unofficial copies that reuse only the motif.
- Struck at: Heaton and Sons / The Mint Birmingham (Heaton and Sons / The Mint Birmingham Limited), United Kingdom (1850-2003) (mintmark
H). Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels. - Mintage vs. survival: A moderate mintage of 720,000. Grade rarity is usually the driver of value here — mid-grade circulated pieces are common, but original-surface uncirculated coins can command a strong premium.
- Catalogue reference: Listed as
KM# 22, Schön# 13. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.
Curator Insights
Historical context
During the early years of the Australian Commonwealth, the nation relied on British mints to fulfill its coinage requirements as local facilities transitioned to new standards. The 1915 issue was struck during World War I, a period when the Australian Pound was still relatively new and maintained a direct link to the British Sterling system. This specific date reflects a time of increased demand for lower-denomination currency to support military and civilian transactions during the global conflict.
Design heritage
The obverse features the crowned and robed bust of King George V, designed by Australian sculptor Edgar Bertram MacKennal, whose 'B.M.' initials appear at the base of the truncation. The reverse was executed by William Henry James Blakemore and focuses on clear typographic elements within a beaded circle, emphasizing the denomination and the newly federated Commonwealth identity rather than traditional heraldry. The plain scroll below the central text serves as a decorative anchor common to the pre-decimal bronze series.
Varieties and technical notes
Collectors should look for the 'H' mint mark located below the lower scroll on the reverse, indicating production at the Heaton Mint in Birmingham. The edge is finished as plain and the strike is executed with a standard 180-degree medallion alignment. Proper inspection involves checking for crispness in the beads of the inner circle and the clarity of the king's crown jewels, which are the highest points of the obverse design.
Survival and modern availability
The 1915 half penny had a relatively low mintage of 720,000, making it significantly scarcer than most other years in the George V series. While many examples were lost to circulation attrition or the eventual transition to decimal currency in 1966, the coin remains highly sought after by type collectors due to its wartime origin. Original red-lustre specimens are extremely rare, with most surviving examples appearing in lower circulated grades showing brown or chocolate toning.
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