Coin

½ Penny - George V (1917) — Australia

Australia • 1917 • KM# 22, Schön# 13

½ Penny - George V (1917) — Australia

Overview

A 1917 bronze ½ Penny coin from Australia, part of the Standard circulation coins series featuring King George V. Minted at the Calcutta Mint.

Specifications

Country
Australia
Year
1917
Composition
Bronze
Weight
5.67 g
Diameter
25.5 mm
Thickness
1.7 mm
Mint
Kolkata / Calcutta / Murshidabad, India (1757-date)
Mintmark
I
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: Kolkata / Calcutta / Murshidabad, India (1757-date) (mintmark I). Confirm the mintmark on your example before comparing prices — same-year issues from different mints often trade at very different levels.
  • Mintage vs. survival: Reported mintage of 5,760,000 is high, but circulation attrition, currency-reform meltdowns, and low collector-preservation rates mean uncirculated (MS-63+) examples are meaningfully scarcer than the raw figure suggests. Check third-party population reports (PCGS/NGC) for realistic survival in top grades.
  • Catalogue reference: Listed as KM# 22, Schön# 13. Use this reference code when cross-checking auction archives, dealer inventories, and standard printed catalogues.

More from Australia

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Explore more

Browse more items in the full catalog or view Australia in the country guide.