The 1928 sixpence

X28M.2A
Mint: Melbourne
Mint mark: none
Mintage: 2,721,000

John Dean1 reports two varieties of the 1928 sixpence. The normal date has a fairly upright 8 and the scarcer variety has an 8 which tilts noticeably to the left. Dion Skinner4 mentions a "small date figure 8" variety which probably corresponds to Dean's left-tilting 8 and also a second variety which has a dot in front of the 1 near the top. Robert Clarke2 lists a "small high 8 in date" variety.

Whereas all three authors are probably in agreement, my own investigations suggest that the situation is somewhat more complex. An examination of 23 specimens of the coin showed that whereas the first three digits of the date are consistent with those of the 1927 sixpence, at least three different numeral punches have been used to make the 8. This observation strongly suggests that the 1928 sixpence represents yet another instance where working dies were hobbed from a partial-date master puncheon and the 8 was added by hand onto each individual working die.

Anyway, I have identified at least four varieties of the 1928 sixpence plus the "dot-1" variety illustrated by Skinner.

Reverse of 1928 sixpence
| X28M.2A

Date varieties of the 1928 sixpence
| X28M.2A.1 8 has a small upper hole and a larger lower hole. The bottom of the 8 is very thin. This seems to be the most common variety.
| X28M.2A.2 Large upper and lower holes in 8.
| X28M.2A.3 Small holes in 8.
| X28M.2A.4 8 has small holes and leans noticeably to the left.
| X28M.2A.5 Dot in front of top of 1.

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