1955 Perth Halfpenny with die crack through Y - PCGS MS63RB

Australia, 1955 Perth Halfpenny with die crack through Y -

The 1955 halfpenny is one of those dates that just doesn’t turn up too often. Although the Greg McDonald catalogue rates it as common as the 1953 and 1954 halfpennies, I’ve had a large handful of those dates in stock over the years, but only one 1955. Like the 1951 no dot halfpenny, the 1955 halfpenny is a sleeper, in my view. The coin photographed above is one of the better examples of the 1955 halfpenny I’ve seen in the last five years, with hints of brilliance about the obverse and tonnes of eye appeal overall. To top it all off, the coin on offer here is the die cracked type, with a spear-like die crack through the right arm of “Y” of “PENNY” on the reverse. Ian McConnelly, in his book Australian Pre-decimal Coin Varieties, describes this type as “RARE”, and it certainly is: This is the first Mint State example of this error I have had in stock in the last seven years.