New Guinea's coinage was administered separately from the Australian mainland, struck in Melbourne for the Territory of New Guinea under League of Nations mandate. The 1938–1944 date range spans the Japanese invasion of 1942, which effectively ended legitimate circulation — most coins from the later dates in this series were minted in anticipation of liberation rather than active trade use.
The central hole, shared across the Territory's bronze coinage, was a practical concession to local custom, where perforated coins could be strung and carried.
New Guinea's coinage was administered separately from the Australian mainland, struck in Melbourne for the Territory of New Guinea under League of Nations mandate. The 1938–1944 date range spans the Japanese invasion of 1942, which effectively ended legitimate circulation — most coins from the later dates in this series were minted in anticipation of liberation rather than active trade use.
The central hole, shared across the Territory's bronze coinage, was a practical concession to local custom, where perforated coins could be strung and carried.