1921 sixpence

au-sixpence-1921

A coin of this date, photographed

Museums Victoria holds 2 of these and photographs each one, which is a documented proof that a coin bearing this date exists. It says nothing about how many were struck, and is not counted as a mintage anywhere here.

What they hold: specimen. None of these is a circulating strike, so this date is attested only by pieces that were never issued for use.

Specimen Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1921, photographed by Museums Victoria
Photographer: Naomi Andrzejeski, Museums Victoria, https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/52604 (CC BY 4.0)
Specimen Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1921, photographed by Museums Victoria
Photographer: Naomi Andrzejeski, Museums Victoria, https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/52604 (CC BY 4.0)
Specimen Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1921, photographed by Museums Victoria
Photographer: Naomi Andrzejeski, Museums Victoria, https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/52501 (CC BY 4.0)
Specimen Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1921, photographed by Museums Victoria
Photographer: Naomi Andrzejeski, Museums Victoria, https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/52501 (CC BY 4.0)

Specimen Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1921 specimen
Specimen Coin - Sixpence, Australia, 1921 specimen

Mintage

no-coin-dated-figure 2,631,288 pieces

No document names how many coins were struck bearing the date 1921. This counts what the Melbourne branch put out during report year 1921, which is a different quantity.

FigureMintWhat was countedSource, and its own words
2,631,288 Melbourne delivered
what the Melbourne branch delivered during report year 1921
Reports of the Deputy Master of the Royal Mint, Australian branch silver and bronze returns 1916 to 1926
611. 361,389-50 244,795-32 239,817-87 2,631,288 67-8 974) 664 3d. 556,551-55 347,190-16' 335,241-74 7,378,973 64-2 954 612 Total 1,848,011-03 1,251,951-95’1,232,125-47 12,377,328 67-1 970 65.7 The los
1,164,000 Sydney delivered
what the Sydney branch delivered during report year 1921
Reports of the Deputy Master of the Royal Mint, Australian branch silver and bronze returns 1916 to 1926
464,924 ounces standard silver bars and 50 tons 15 ewts and 22 lbs. Bronze bars were delivered to the Coiner from which were produced 26,1001. shillings, 29,1001. sixpences, 6091. pence and 11,0001. halfpence. Five gold and twenty—seven cop

£29,100 x 40 coins per pound

What can be said instead

No document names a figure for coins dated 1921. The reports do say what the branch mints delivered in the report years around it, and a coin of this date had to come from one of those deliveries.

Report yearAs the report prints itIn piecesMint
1922 37,200]. 1,488,000Sydney

So at most 1,488,000 pieces can bear the date 1921, if Coins dated 1921 were struck in report year 1921 or 1922.

The reports describe dates lagging by a year, but not always by only one: the 1939 report records that Melbourne went on using 1936 dies throughout 1937. Where a date persisted, the true figure can exceed this ceiling.

What this page does not tell you

It does not tell you what the coin is worth. A catalogue can honestly report how many were struck, what metal is in one, and what the documents say. It cannot report a market price without either inventing it or copying someone who might have. So this catalogue reports the first three and stays quiet about the fourth.

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