The Commonwealth of Australia, the smallest continent in the world, is located south of Indonesia between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It has an area of 2,967,893 sq. mi. (7,686,850 sq. km.) and an estimated population of 18.84 million. Capital: Canberra. Due to its early and sustained isolation, Australia is the habitat of such curious and unique fauna as the kangaroo, koala, platypus, wombat, echidna and frilled-necked lizard. The continent possesses extensive mineral deposits, the most important of which are iron ore, coal, gold, silver, nickel, uranium, lead and zinc. Raising livestock, mining and manufacturing are the principal industries. Chief exports are wool, meat, wheat, iron ore, coal and nonferrous metals.
   The first Caucasians to see Australia probably were Portuguese and Spanish navigators of the late 16th century. In 1770, Captain James Cook explored the east coast and annexed it for Great Britain. New South Wales was founded as a penal colony, following the loss of British North America, by Captain Arthur Phillip on January 26, 1788, a date now celebrated as Australia Day. Dates of creation of the six colonies that now comprise the states of the Australian Commonwealth are: New South Wales, 1823; Tasmania, 1825; Western Australia, 1838; South Australia, 1842; Victoria, 1851; Queensland, 1859. The British Parliament approved a constitution providing for the federation of the colonies in 1900. The Commonwealth of Australia came into being in 1901. Australia passed the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act on October 9, 1942, which officially established Australia's complete autonomy in external and internal affairs, thereby formalizing a situation that had existed for years. Australia is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Elizabeth II is Head of State as Queen of Australia.
   Australia's currency system was changed from Pounds- Shillings-Pence to a decimal system of Dollars and Cents on Feb. 14, 1966.

RULER
British until 1942

MINT MARKS

Abbr.     Mint                          Marks
A        Adelaide           -
(b)     Bombay           I below bust; dots before and after HALF PENNY, 1942-43
(b)     Bombay           I below bust dots before and after PENNY, 1942-43
B       Brisbane          -
(c)     Calcutta           I above date, 1916-18
(c)     Canberra        None, 1966 to date
C      Canberra          -
D      Denver             D above date 1/-& 2/-, below date on 3d
D      Denver             D below date on 6d
H      Heaton             H below date on silver coins, 1914-15
H      Heaton             H above date on bronze coins
(L)    London            1910-1915 (no marks), 1966
M      Melbourne       M below date on silver coins, 1916-20
M      Melbourne       M above date on the ground on gold coins w/St. George
M      Melbourne        -
(m)   Melbourne       Dot below scroll on penny, 1919-20
(m)   Melbourne       Two dots; below lower scroll and above upper, 1919-20
(m)   Melbourne        None, 1921-1964, 1966
P      Perth                  P above date on the ground on gold coins w/St. George
(p)    Perth                  Dot between KG (designer’s initials), 1940-41
(p)    Perth                  Dot after PENNY, 1941-51, 1954-64
(p)    Perth                  Dot after AUSTRALIA, 1952-53
(p)    Perth                  Dot before SHILLING, 1946
(p)    Perth                  None, 1922 penny, 1966
P      Perth                  Nuggets, 1986
PL    London              PL after PENNY in 1951
PL    London              PL on bottom folds of ribbon, 1951 threepence
PL    London              PL above date on sixpence
PL                                1951
S      San Francisco  S above or below date, 1942-44, mm exists w/ and w/o bulbous serifs
S      Sydney               S above date on the ground on gold coins w/St. George
S      Sydney                -
(sy)  Sydney               Dot above bottom scroll on penny 1920
(sy)  Sydney               None, 1919-1926

MONETARY SYSTEM
Sterling Coinage (Until 1966)
12 Pence = 1 Shilling
2 Shillings = 1 Florin
5 Shillings = 1 Crown
20 Shillings = 1 Pound
1 Sovereign = 1 Pound

Decimal Coinage (Commencing 1966)
100 Cents = 1 Dollar

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