Many Silver Finds Over The Years

[geof_junk]

My first Pound note Found it back in 1962 (Pound note was not found with a detector ) and last $1 and $2 I saved before going decimal, found this photo while chasing old detecting photos. OK I will get back on topic soon. 😀

[geof_junk]

Shillings  The best of my deener finds

Do you remember slang terms used for monies in days of old? Threepence: tray or trey bit or trey, comes from the french tre meaning three.     Sixpence: zac or tanner.    Shilling: bob or deener or dina.    Florin: two bob or swy.
Crown 1937 & 1938: casey’s cartwheel -named after the treasurer of the time Lord Casey who proposed the coin.
Ten shillings: half-fidly    Pound: quid or fiddly-did derived from word association fidly->fid->quid.
Five pounds: spin    Ten pounds: brick.

In the shilling series, the scarcest dates are 1915 H, 1921 star and 1933. For unclear reasons, the date 1922 was badly struck in all silver denominations. Well struck-up examples of the dates 1924, 1926 and 1927 are also difficult to find. During World War II, the quality of striking for most coins deteriorated. There were a number of reasons for this. Less care was taken in the preparation of the dies, the dies were used in longer production runs before being replaced, and quality controls were relaxed as more pressing matters of war took precedence.

For King George VI issues from 1937, the reverse design was changed to a ram's head.

King Edward VII

Australia’s first silver shillings were struck in sterling silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper) dated 1910 from the London Mint and don’t feature a mintmark.

King George V

Also struck in London between 1911-1915, these did not carry a mintmark. Also in 1915, the Heaton Mint (“H” mintmark) struck shillings. From 1916-1926 the Melbourne and Sydney Mints struck silver shillings. Shillings were exclusively struck from 1927 to 1936 at the Melbourne Mint.

King George VI

The Melbourne Mint kept striking shillings from 1937 to 1952. In 1942, 1943 and 1944 the San Francisco mint (“S” mintmark) struck shillings. In 1946, the Perth Mint struck shillings, mintmarked with a dot before “Shilling”.

Queen Elizabeth II

From 1953 to 1963, the Melbourne Mint struck shillings exclusively.

Years Not Struck

1923, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1945, 1947, 1949 and 1951.

 

 

 

 

[geof_junk]

The "2 Bob"/Florine

Most of the commemorative found were in excellent condition when found as most people got them as a keepsake. I think kids took them to school to show their friend and lost them.

The missing one below, is my favourite. I had the chance of getting it as a gift from a contract  commissioning engineer, when I was working in a Control Room of a new Power Station during 1982. I asked did he know it worth, when I told him he was surprised, and I declined the offer.    

The Australian Florin is a silver coin which was used in the Commonwealth of Australia prior to decimalisation. It has the same dimensions and composition as the British pre-decimal florin, from which it is derived (for a time, the coins circulated in parallel and were interchangeable in Australia - but not in the United Kingdom). A Florin is equal to two shillings, or 24 pence, or one tenth of a pound.

The reverse of the first type of Australian florin coins features the 1908 Coat of Arms; it became obsolete almost immediately, since Australia received a new Coat of Arms in 1912. In 1938, a new design superseded it - featuring the new Coat of Arms; the old type of coins remained in circulation. Unlike other denominations, some florin circulating commemoratives were also issued.

The coins were struck by five different mints:
- Royal Mint, 1910 - 1915, no mint mark
- Birmingham Mint (ex Heaton and Sons), 1914 - 1915, letter H
- Melbourne Mint, 1916 - 1936, letter M to 1919, then no mint mark
- Sydney Mint, 1924 - 1925, no mint mark
- United States Mint, San Francisco, 1942 - 1944, with S mint mark

Until 1945, the coins were made of sterling silver (92.5%), weighing 11.31 g (0.3636 troy ounces) with an actual silver weight of 10.46 grams (0.3363 oz ASW). This was later debased to 50% silver while retaining the same design.

After decimalisation on 14 February 1966, the florin was re-denominated as 20 cents and continued to circulate for a time, along with the new 20¢ coins which were the same size and weight (but made of copper-nickel). Even though they were practically withdrawn from circulation in 1966, the florin coins were never formally demonetised and are still legal tender. More photos florins in my next post.

[Joe D.]

Geof,

Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge! You have obviously put a lot of time and effort into your collection! 

I have my own meager US version (only several are detector found!), but my knowledge of them pails in comparison! And i need to work on their preservation!! (Have some old Album damage to deal with!😔)  👍👍

[geof_junk]

Thanks for that Joe, had a lot of time on shift to research but now have to use Mr Google to refresh what i lost 

[geof_junk]

Silver coin Composition:
Coin Type              Minted              Silver(Oz Troy)
92.5% Florin          1910 - 1945      0.3364              92.5% Silver 7.5% Copper    
50%    Florin          1946 - 1963      0.1818              50% Silver 40% Copper 5% Nickel 5% Zinc
Crown                    1937 - 1938      0.8407              92.5% Silver 7.5% Copper    
1966 Round 50c  1966                  0.3416              80% Silver 20% Copper
The Australian currency was decimalised on 14 February 1966. Prior to decimalisation, currency was in the form of pounds, shillings and pence. One pound was equal to 20 shillings, one shilling was equal to 12 pence, and so one pound was equal to 240 pence. Also, one guinea was equivalent to 21 shillings.

Florin......Edge-Reeded    Weight-11.31 grams   Size-28.5 mm 

 

As I said before 2/- would buy a lot when they were Sterling Silver way back between 1910  & 1945 (70 to 110 years ago) well that my excuse for the blank holes 😁

 

[GB_Amateur]

3 hours ago, geof_junk said:

As I said before 2/- would buy a lot when they were Sterling Silver way back between 1910  & 1945 (70 to 110 years ago) well that my excuse for the blank holes 😁

Just curious if you remember any details of when you found the 1932 Florin.  Even given its condition I'm thinking your heart was racing when you realized what a rarity you had discovered.

[geof_junk]

On 7/22/2020 at 10:32 PM, GB_Amateur said:

Just curious if you remember any details of when you found the 1932 Florin.  Even given its condition I'm thinking your heart was racing when you realized what a rarity you had discovered.

Just the fact that it was a Florin would of got my hopes up, but I do remember looking at it issue numbers and wishing the grade was a lot higher.😉 

[geof_junk]

A few extra Coins and Tokens and a Amateur Video of spare Shilling and Florins

Some across the ditch (Not real silver) for Phunt

The top right (Peace and Plenty) Was my first Token on the gold field. I thought I had my first multi ounce nugget, but no it was a token and I was not disappointed even those I hit it fair square in the centre on the reverse with the pick.

Well that it guys. Most of these were found using either a Garrets Deepseeker or White Coin Master 6000D both without the modern tech that is now available. As I said at the start of this Post they were all part of learning and getting to know our detectors for gold prospecting. I will load the video when I can.

 

[geof_junk]

Video of Spare Shillings & Florin plus misc. finds.

..............LINK..............

Well that's it for SILVER.