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Silver had become far too expensive to make general circulation coins from and a cheaper method was to use an alloy of copper and nickel.
This was an international trend during the mid to late 20th century.
The last ever Australian circulating coin to contain any silver was the round 1966 50 cent coin which had a silver content of 80%. This coin was withdrawn in 1967 due to the sky rocketing price of silver.
From 1946 to 1964, all Australian predecimal "silver" coins had a 50% silver content.
From 1910 to 1945, all Australian predecimal "silver" coins had a 92.5% silver content.
What else can I help you with?
What are Australian silver coins made of?
Australian silver coins (5, 10, 20 and 50 cent) are composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel. There is no silver in any circulating Australian coin.
How many Australian coins are a silver colour?
Silvery coloured Australian coins in general circulation are the 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent coins. Their composition is 75% copper and 25% nickel. There is no silver in any circulating Australian coin.
Are the Australian silver kookaburra coins pure silver?
The Australian Kookaburra series of Proof and Specimen coins first issued by the Perth Mint in 1990, at 99.99% silver, are as close to pure silver as you are ever likely to get in a coin.
Are Australian coins in the 1970's made from silver?
From 1967 onwards, no general circulation Australian coin has contained any silver, or any other precious metal at all. Since 1967, all Australian "silver" coins are made from a 75% copper and 25% nickel alloy.
How do they make Australian coins?
The two general circulation Australian coins that have a gold coloured appearance are the One and Two Dollar coins. They are both made from 92% copper, 6% aluminum and 2% nickel. Non-circulating Australian gold coins are usually made from 22 carat gold. These are a specially minted coin for serious collectors and investors and are priced in accordance with the current rate for gold. No country with responsible financial management could afford to circulate coins made from gold.
Why did coins change after 1964?
The value of silver had been rising over the years and finally it was becoming close to being worth more than the coins containing it. In order to avoid minting coins that would just be melted for the silver content, the Treasury department changed the composition of all silver coins.
What are the values of 1966 and 1971 Australian silver 2 cent coins?
Australian 2 cent coins were made from bronze. If you have silver 2 cent coins it would be because somebody plated them. They are no longer in circulation, but unless they are part of a proof set, they are worth 2 cents.
Is the silver value of any Australian coin worth more than the nominal value?
Silver Australian coins were first issued in 1910 and were made from sterling silver which has a 92.5% silver content. This changed from 1946 onwards and the silver content was reduced to 50%. No Australian general circulation coin has had any silver content since 1966, except for the round 1966 50 cent coin. The silver content of the older predecimal coins possibly values the coins at more than face value, however, if the coins are in good condition, the collector value may be higher.
The unlimited production of silver coins?
The unlimited production of silver coins will eventually lead to them being invaluable.
What is the Worth of 1942 Australian penny?
All Australian Pennies minted from 1938 to 1964 inclusive feature a kangaroo on the reverse. The only Australian coins to feature wheat was the 1938 to 1964 inclusive, silver Threepence coins.
Did Australian coins ever have silver in them?
Yes. Australian silver coins were first minted in 1910 by the Royal Mint London. The silver coins included the Threepence, Sixpence, Shilling, Florin (Two Shillings) and in 1937 and 1938 only, a Crown (Five Shillings). From 1910 to 1944, all Australian Threepences were sterling silver containing 92.5% silver. From 1947 to 1964 all Australian Threepences contained 50% silver. From 1910 to 1945, all Australian Sixpences were sterling silver containing 92.5% silver. From 1946 to 1963 all Australian Sixpences contained 50% silver. From 1910 to 1945, all Australian Shillings were sterling silver containing 92.5% silver. From 1946 to 1963 all Australian Shillings contained 50% silver. From 1910 to 1945, all Australian Florins were sterling silver containing 92.5% silver. From 1946 to 1963 all Australian Florins contained 50% silver. Both issues of the Australian Crown were sterling silver. At decimalisation in 1966, the only coin to contain any silver was the round 50 cent coin which had an 80% silver content. Since the price of silver sky rocketed at about this time, the silver 50 cent coin was withdrawn and eventually replaced with the more familiar 12 sided cupro-nickel 50 cent coin. Currently, there are no Australian circulating coins that contain any silver.
Is the Australian 2 cent silver coin a mistake?
Australian 2 cent coins were issued from 1966 until 1984 and were made from 97% copper, 2.5% zinc and 0.5% nickel. No general circulation Australian 2 cent coin contained any silver. If you have a silver Australian 2 cent coin, it is because somebody plated it. In 2006, the Royal Australian Mint (RAM) issued a pure gold and a pure silver set of coins, including the 2 cent coin, to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Decimal Currency in Australia. The coins were never issued individually.
