The 1999 Masterpieces Silver Coins
By CAA | Tuesday, 25 June 2024
In 1999, a set named Coins of the 20th Century: Memories, limited to 15 000 sets was released to illustrate the popularity of classic pre-decimal designs. In fine silver, the reverse designs were chosen to reflect an important time in Australian history.
Obverses of all the coins bear the new effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II designed by Ian Rank-Broadley.
1939 Half Penny (5 Cents)
Without any real explanation, the 1939 halfpenny became the only non-commemorative coin to have two different designs circulating in the same year. In late 1939, the 782,000 minted 'roo' halfpennies were released into circulation.
Specifications
- Alloy: Fine silver
- Weight: 5.53 g
- Diameter: 25 mm
- Mintage: 15,000 (all sold)
5 cents 1999 Price guide and values »
1930 Penny (10 Cents)
During this time of depression, no issues of 1930 pennies were made to the Commonwealth of Australia. Yet 3,000 of them were struck. It's thought 1930 penny dies were used by mint guides demonstrating how the presses worked – visitors souveniring these coins by swapping them with previously-released pennies.
Specifications
- Alloy: Fine silver
- Weight: 8.36 g
- Diameter: 30 mm
- Mintage: 15,000 (all sold)
10 cents 1999 Price guide and values »
Penny 1930 - King of Australian Coins »
1942 Threepence (20 Cents)
A shortage of coins saw Australia turn towards the San Francisco and Denver Mints to produce 24 million 1942 threepences. While these beared 'S' and 'D' mintmarks to identify origin, the real rarities are 1942 threepences with no mintmark – a group of only 528 000 struck in Australia.
Specifications
- Alloy: Fine silver
- Weight: 2.99 g
- Diameter: 17.53 mm
- Mintage: 15,000 (all sold)
20 cents 1999 Price guide and values »
1918 Sixpence (50 Cents)
Only 915,000 of these coins were ever minted. While mens were at war, the 1918 sixpence gained special significance among Australians as the working man's coin, with the same reverse design on all sixpences minted between 1910 and 1963.
Specifications
- Alloy: Fine silver
- Weight: 3.24 g
- Diameter: 19.41 mm
- Mintage: 15,000 (all sold)
50 cents 1999 Price guide and values »
1940 Shilling (1 Dollar)
Involved in World War II, Australia's labour force was drained. With no manpower to mine silver this would become the lowest production run since the Great Depression. This shilling's special place in history was also marked in 1991, when the Royal Australian Mint reproduced it as a commemorative 50 cent piece – the only circulating coin to span pre-decimal to decimal coinage.
Specifications
- Alloy: Fine silver
- Weight: 6.57 g
- Diameter: 23.6 mm
- Mintage: 15,000 (all sold)
1 dollar 1999 Price guide and values »
1920 Sovereign (2 Dollars)
While a sense of optimism gripped the nation following the end of the war, the Sydney Mint was going broke making money. Only 360,000 sovereigns were produced in Sydney in 1920, with just a handful known to exist today.
Specifications
- Alloy: Fine silver
- Weight: 13.36 g
- Diameter: 28.52 mm
- Mintage: 15,000 (all sold)
2 dollars 1999 Price guide and values »
1920 Sydney Gold Sovereign - Rarest Sovereign of Australia »
The sets sold really fast, it took only one month, for collectors to completely exhaust supplies.