Lovely early strike coin, dot beside orb, dot/blob to the left of the letter A in Australia,lots of photos to see all the detail
Visible Value points
8 strong pearls
Centre diamond
2-3 steps
Iris in the eye
The up-curl of moustache
Almost No wear to the Maces, Date and Shell
BU lustre.
definitely a high-grade coin
The 1927 Australian Parliament House Florin (two shillings) is a significant historical coin, with the visibility of the "steps" leading to the building being a key indicator of quality and value.
Key Features and Value
Referring to the steps of Parliament House on the reverse.
Coins released for general circulation have no steps
1–2 Steps: Common in weak-strike in uncirculated coins.
3–4 Solid Steps (Proof/Gem Unc): Indicates a very high-quality, sharp strike, which is necessary for the higher price range.
See 4 photos of a genuine proof coin and the last 2 photos show what to look for in first strike (Proof coins)
Mintage: 2,000,000 were struck.
Proof mintage is officially listed at 400 pieces,
Key Details for the 1927 Florin:
Composition:
Sterling Silver 92.5% Ag, 7.5%
Silver Weight:
Approximately 10.46 grams
Mintage: 2,000,000
Designer:
Sir Bertram Mackennal/George Kruger Gray
Next year it achieves its 100 year status, the rush will be on, so get in early
History.
This coin was struck to commemorate the opening of the Parliament House in Canberra in 1927 (now known as Old Parliament House). 2,000,000 were struck and were first issued on 09 May 1927. It features a front view of the original Parliament House.
The release of the coin generated significant public interest, with contemporary reports noting long queues outside banks in major cities — particularly in Canberra, Melbourne, and Sydney — as members of the public eagerly sought to obtain an example. Its popularity as a souvenir of the historic occasion led to many being put aside rather than spent, and as a result — the 1927 Parliament florin remains one of the most commonly encountered pre-decimal coins in high grades. While these coins did enter general circulation, they are easily found in extremely fine, (and even in uncirculated condition for that matter) for a fraction the cost of the regular 1927 florins.
In addition to the 2 million circulating coins, a limited number of 400 proofs were struck at the Melbourne Mint for official presentation and collectors. These proof issues are significantly scarcer and command strong premiums. After the striking of the 400 proofs (although contemporary sales patterns could indicate this mintage to be much lower), the proof dies continued to be used to strike a limited number of coins intended for circulation with regular planchets.