The Canberra Florin was released in 1927 to commemorate the opening of the now, Old Parliament House. The simple design was completed by renowned numismatic artist George Kruger Gray who was a 'preferred contractor' of the Royal Mint. The London branch of the mint then created the dies which were finally approved by the Australian Prime Minister Stanley Bruce. (Recorder, 1927) A total of 2,000,000 pieces were produced at the Melbourne Mint and are considered to be some of Australia's most attractive coins.
At the time of minting the Canberra Florin received substantial media attention with newspapers around Australia featuring commentary on the design, mintage populations and its distribution. In addition to be a very attractive coin it was also the first commemorative Australian coin and as a result it was heavily horded. The 'Queensland Times' newspaper stated that - "Almost as promptly as they were put into circulation the commemorative coins were withdrawn by the people, who preferred to keep them as mementos of an historical event rather than spend them..." (Queensland Times, 1928) In the following years the Great Depression would force many to spend their horded Florins however enough remained horded to keep the coin quite affordable in upper grades.
The piece is available right up to MS67 however the reverse strike and the typical concentration of bag-marks on the obverse usually prevents the date from going above MS65. The date is usually found in MS63 though does occasionally make it into MS64, examples below MS63 have almost certainly been circulated. Finding an example in MS65 or higher can be quite a challenge. Overall the Canberra Florin's beauty, affordability and availability make it a very worthwhile acquisition for collectors and non-collectors alike.