1954 Australia Florin

Comments: This coin was issued to commemorate the Royal Visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Australia in 1954 — the first by a reigning monarch. Struck at the Melbourne Mint, a total of 2,000,000 coins were produced and released into circulation. The reverse was designed by English sculptor Leslie Bowles and features a lion and a kangaroo standing together on a curved ground line facing right.  

 

After much heated discussion the titles F:D:, removed at the start of the new reign, were returned to the obverse legend on the Royal visit florin in 1954. They were also returned to the regular coinage from 1955.

 

There were no official proof issues for collectors of this coin, although a few proofs do exist — including one example in the Museums Victoria Collections.

 

The reverse design of this coin was reissued in the 1998 ‘Masterpieces in Silver’ set.

Obv Lettering: + ELIZABETH·II·DEI·GRATIA·REGINA·F:D:
Rev Lettering: AUSTRALIA FLORIN
1954