Australia George VI Sixpence 1951 EF/UN (Mint)

Exceptional silver (0.500) high grade coin struck within a set from 1950 to 1952. This coin was coined at Melbourne Mint, though unmarked. Probably the first Caucasians to see Australia were Portuguese and Spanish navigators of the 16th Century. In 1770 the Captain James Cook explored the East coast and annexed it to Great Britain. New South Wales was founded as a penal coin, following the loss of British North America on January 1788, a date now celebrated as Australia Day. Dates of creation of the six colonies that now comprise the states of the Australia Commonwealth are: New South Wales, 1823; Tasmania, 1825; Western Australia, 1838; South Australia, 1842; Victoria, 1851; Queensland, 1859. The British Parliament approved 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 internal and external affairs, thereby formalizing a situation that had existed for years. Australia is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Elisabeth II is Head of State as Queen of Australia. British ruled until 1942. Australia's currency system was changed from Pounds-Shillings-Pence to a decimal system of Dollars and Cents on February , 14th, 1966.