AUST SHILLING (1910-1945) 92.5% SILVER...

Here's a detailed report on Australian shillings from 1910 to 1945, focusing on their composition, mintage, design, historical context, and collector value. All these coins contain 92.5% silver (sterling silver), which was standard until 1946.

• Denomination: One Shilling (1/20 of a pound)
   
• Metal Composition (1910–1945):
   
  • 92.5% Silver, 7.5% Copper (Sterling Silver)
     
• Weight: 5.65 grams
   
• Diameter: ~23.5 mm
   
• Silver Content per coin: ~0.1680 troy oz
   

• Monarch: Edward VII
   
• Design:
   
  • Obverse: Bust of Edward VII
     
  • Reverse: Coat of Arms of Australia
     
• Mintage: 2,000,000
   
• Note: Only year with Edward VII, issued after federation.
   

• Monarch: George V
   
• Design (1911–1936):
   
  • Obverse: Bust of George V
     
  • Reverse: Coat of Arms (same as 1910)
     
• Years Not Issued: 1913, 1920, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1933
   

• 1914H: Minted in Birmingham ("H" for Heaton Mint)
   
• 1921 & 1926: High mintage years (over 3 million)
   
• 1935: Scarce year
   
• 1921: Mintage ~3.6 million
   
• 1933: Extremely low mintage (~900,000) – rare in high grades
   

• Monarch: George VI
   
• New Reverse Design Introduced (1938):
   
  • Features a Merino ram’s head, designed by George Kruger Gray
     
• Years Issued: Annually from 1938 to 1945
   
• 1939: Scarcer date
   
• 1944 & 1945: Struck at San Francisco Mint (with “S” mintmark)
   

YearCommon Value (VG-F)High Grade (EF to UNC)Notes1910$20–40$300+First issue, Edward VII1914H$15–30$150+Scarcer mint1933$80–120$800+Scarce1935$20–40$200+Semi-key date1939$10–25$100+Scarce ram head year1944S/1945S$8–15$60–100US-minted  

• At 92.5% silver and 0.168 troy oz per coin, bullion value fluctuates with silver spot price.
   
• At $35 AUD/oz (approx.), melt value ≈ $5.90 AUD per coin.
   

MintMarkLocationActive YearsLondonNo markUK1910–1916HeatonHUK1914MelbourneNo markAustraliaFrom 1916SydneyNo markAustraliaFrom 1920sSan FranciscoSUSA1944–1945  

• The shilling was a critical part of Australia’s pre-decimal system, used widely for daily transactions.
   
• 1946 marks the shift to 50% silver content, ending the sterling silver era.
   
• The 1938 ram reverse symbolized Australia’s pastoral strength and was well received.