1966 Round 50 Cent
Australian Decimal Coin
80.0% Silver
The 1966 circular, .800 fine silver Australian 50 cent coin is a one year type.
It was introduced on the 14th of February 1966 with all other decimal currency but since it had no pre-decimal equivalent the public was slow to accept the "new half-dollars".
From its introduction up to mid 1968 there was many calls for it to be scrapped and for a crown sized $1 coin to be issued, there was even suggestions made to introduce a Half-dollar note.
The Royal Australian Mint in Canberra struck over 36 million 50 cent pieces before rising silver prices halted production with the Mint announcing in late 1967 that they were no longer releasing them into circulation. A quarter of a million pieces, held at the mint when the directive to cease production was announced, never saw the light of day. Although a report by the Decimal Committee shows 5.3 million pieces were still held by Treasury at the end of June 1967. They were duly melted down. Since that time a gradual recall and melting down of all pieces which make their way back to the mint has occurred, at a handsome profit to the Government.
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