Elizabeth II Sixpence

To the uninitiated, there's not much going on in this series. To the microvariety collector, there's plenty.

Two obverses for 1953, as usual, and two reverses for 1955. Hidden in the mid-sixties, in the last place you'd expect to find one, is one of the most difficult crossover mules to complete. 1964 sixpences occur occasionally with a 1965 obverse, and even scarcer are the 1965 sixpences with a 1964 obverse. I have never found one of the latter.

In addition, the strangely stubborn 1958 seems to be much more difficult in top grade than it ought to be.

1964 and 1965 6d crossover mule

Elizabeth II Sixpence Issues

1953 Obv 1 1953 Obv 1
1953 Obv 2 1953 Obv 2
1954 1954
1955 1+B 1955 Rev 1+B
1955 1+C 1955 Rev 1+C
1956 1956
1957 1957
1958 1958
1959 1959
1960 1960
1961 1961
1962 1962
1963 1963
1964 3+C 1964 Rev 3+C
1964 4+C 1964 Rev 4+C
1965 Rev 3+D
1965 4+D 1965 Rev 4+D
1966 1966
1967 1967

Basic Details – Diameter: 19mm, Weight: 2.8g, Alloy: Copper 75%, Nickel 25%

1953

Two obverses identified:

Obverse 1 was originally the scarcer of the two 1953 coins, as it was only found in the plastic sets, and 1.3 million of those were issued, compared to more than 70 million Obverse 2s. As circulation took its toll, and as more plastic sets were split, Obverse 1 gradually became commoner in high grade. It is now quite unusual to find an Uncirculated Obverse 2. Not Rare, by any means, but unusual.

1953 Varieties
1953 Obverse 1 Left
Obverse 1
  • L of LIZ at a bead
  • I of LIZ to the right of a bead
  • 2nd A in GRATIA to the right of a bead
  • + to the right of a bead
 1953 Obverse 1 Right
1953 Obverse 2 Left
Obverse 2
  • L of LIZ to the right of a bead
  • I of LIZ to the left of a bead
  • 2nd A in GRATIA to the left of a bead
  • + to the left of a bead
 1953 Obverse 2 Right

1954

1954 Sixpence

1955

Two reverses identified:

Davies estimates the two reverses to be of similar abundance. I concur.

1955 Varieties
1955 Reverse B Left
Reverse B
  • F of FID at a bead
  • D of FID at a bead
  • I of FID at a bead
  • I of SIX between beads
 1955 Reverse B Right
1955 Reverse C Left
Reverse C
  • F of FID between beads
  • D of FID between beads
  • I of FID between beads
  • I of SIX to the right of a bead
 1955 Reverse C Right

1956

1956 Sixpence

1957

1957 Sixpence

1958

1958 Sixpence

1959

1959 Sixpence

1960

1960 Sixpence

1961

1961 Sixpence

1962

1962 Sixpence

1963

1963 Sixpence
1963 Sixpence Obverse 1963 Sixpence Reverse

1964

Two obverses identified:

1964 Sixpence Varieties
1964 Obverse 3 Left
Obverse 3
  • A of GRATIA between beads
  • VERY COMMON
 1964 Obverse 3 Right
1964 Obverse 4 Left
Obverse 4
  • A of GRATIA at a bead
  • SCARCE
 1964 Obverse 4 Right

1965

Two obverses identified:

1965 Sixpence Varieties
No photo - I have never had this coin
Obverse 3
  • A of GRATIA between beads
  • RARE
 No photo - I have never had this coin
1965 Obverse 4 Left
Obverse 4
  • A of GRATIA at a bead
  • VERY COMMON
 1965 Obverse 4 Right
1964 and 1965 6d Obverse comparison sheet

1966

1966 Sixpence

1967

1967 Sixpence
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