Obverse. Photo © NumisCorner.com
  • 1 Penny 1949-1952, KM# 43, Australia, George VI
  • 1 Penny 1949-1952, KM# 43, Australia, George VI
Description

Mintmarks:
• No extra dots = Melbourne Mint
• One dot after "PENNY" = Perth Mint
• One dot after "AUSTRALIA" = Perth Mint (1952 only)
• PL after "PENNY" = London Mint

Obverse

A bare head of George VI facing left; below head in small lettering the artist's initials HP.

GEORGIUS VI DEI GRATIA BRITANNIARUM OMNIUM REX FIDEI DEFENSOR INDIAE IMPERATOR means George VI, by the Grace of God, of all the Britains King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India.

George VI (1895–1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death. He was the last Emperor of India and the first Head of the Commonwealth.

As the second son of King George V, he was not expected to inherit the throne and spent his early life in the shadow of his elder brother, Edward. George's elder brother ascended the throne as Edward VIII upon the death of their father in 1936. However, later that year Edward revealed his desire to marry divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin advised Edward that for political and religious reasons he could not marry a divorced woman and remain king. Edward abdicated in order to marry, and George ascended the throne as the third monarch of the House of Windsor.

Engraver: Thomas Humphrey Paget

GEORGIVS VI D:G:BR:OMN:REX FIDEI DEF.
HP

Reverse

A kangaroo leaping to the left; around above AUSTRALIA, around below, PENNY; the Federation star is in the field to the left of the kangaroo and the date is in the field below its tail. The engraver's initials (KG) are above the tip of the tail.

The kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family. Kangaroos are endemic to Australia. The kangaroo is an unofficial symbol of Australia and appears as an emblem on the Australian coat of arms and on some of its currency.

Engraver: George Edward Kruger Gray

AUSTRALIA
KG
1951
PENNY PL

Edge

1 Penny

without IND:IMP
KM# 43
Characteristics
Material Bronze
Weight 9.5 g
Diameter 30.9 mm
Thickness 1.9 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mints
London Mint
Melbourne Mint
The Perth Mint

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