Australian Coin Sizes

When we changed from pre-decimal to decimal coins, the 20c coin was the same size and value as a florin. The $2 coin didn't come along until 1988, after the one dollar coin in 1984. I think the size was chosen simply to make them a bit easier on the pocket. No one really wanted $2 coins bigger than $1 coins, so a smaller size was chosen. It also adds to the seigniorage of the coins. It is very cost effective to produce higher denomination coins in smaller sizes.

As for the grades, I would grade the shilling about Vf, the 1919 3d is damaged and not really gradeable, the half penny I would grade as fine and the penny as very good.

As for carmykle's question: one could ask a similar question about US coins: "Why is the nickel bigger than the dime?". The long answer delves into the history of the two coins, but the short answer is, "Because it is".

Because we drive on the other side of the road, put a key upside down into the lock,
call football "soccer", have Christmas in summer....etc

OK gang, I was more interested in the possible valuation of the coin due to its precious metal content, intrinsic value. Our coins were based on a gold and silver standard. Nickle/Zinc has never cost more than silver, if I remember correctly, hence it didn't take a lot of silver to be worth more than a nickle. Its logical to assume most other countries originally had similar standards.

Now that all counties (except China & she's starting to come around) allow their currency to float on the open market there are more reasons to produce coins of little intrinsic value. Perfect example is the Kuwaiti 1 Dinar Coin; worth $3.8 in Kuwait and worthless outside of Kuwait (gotta bunch of em). The Dinar is appropriately sized as their largest coin. (As a matter of fact I couldn't get a paper bill larger than a twenty.) They are encouraging everyone to use credit cards and, in my opinion, abandon a monetary system of coins and currency that costs millions every year. (Another factoid is that is is illegal to sell a coin made of Gold or Silver in Kuwait; you can buy all the jewelry and raw stuff you want though.)

I was wondering if there were similar programs in Australia and, I guess, what was the future course of a coin's intrinsic value in Australian?

I don't know about you but I'm tired of mints producing trash coins. I don't see it getting any better. (I know you heard what I asked but do you realize what I asked was not what you thought you heard?)

Maybe for the same reason we now have a 12 sided 50¢ -Australians allegedly were confused by the florin sized 20¢ and half-crown sized original 50¢ being not different enough in size -it is actually equivalent to a crown. New Zealand managed to survive with their round 50¢ coin until 2005. New Zealand also managed to issue a $1 coin similar in appearance to the Australian $1 but their $2 coin was larger.
Maybe for the same reason New Zealand had the first 10¢ marked "ONE SHILLING" so the residents would know it was equal value to the same size, alloy, shape, weight coin it replaces and which circulated side-by-side with it for a few years. The same logic didn't extend to the 5¢ (sixpence) or 20¢ (florin) coins!
Maybe for the same reason the new Fiji 2009 small, steel cored coins (basically same as new NZ 2006 issues) still feature Queen Elizabeth II obverse even though Fiji has been kicked out of the Commonwealth and QEII is no longer the Head of State.

I would say the moral of the story is when you entrust a committee of beaurocrats (overseen by a politician) to introduce, or revise, a new system it is unrealistic to expect logic to prevail. However, I am well known to be of a rather cynical disposition.

Jeff

I think maybe within the next five years or so, our 20c 10c and 5c coins will be made smaller like Great Britain did some years ago. Perhaps our 5c may dissapear altogether, or become a copper coin, or perhaps copper clad zinc.

With high base metal prices, the size of the coins need to be reduced, and perhaps a bimetallic $5 coin added. A $5 coin would be cheaper in the long run than a $5 note, although I personally have no objections to both circulating alongside each other.