The 1939 kangaroo reverse half penny formed the latter half of the 1939 issue after the old reverse issue. It is by far the scarcer issue with a mintage of just 782,000 but as it was the first issue of this new design it was subject to hoarding resulting in an above average survival rate in mint state. Consequently the coin is quite a bit easier to acquire in higher grades than the 1939 old reverse but commands stronger prices nonetheless due to the perceived rarity from its low mintage. The issue is almost always well struck up due to freshly prepared dies resulting in a dulled brilliance on some earlier strikes similar to early 1938 issues. Date set collectors should aim for at least MS63RB considering the availability though pricing may be somewhat off-putting.
