In the Sydney Morning Herald 1848

[JeffH]

Bridget Mitchell and Margaret Cunningham, two ladies of ''loose character,'' were charged before the Police Court with attempting to pass a half crown, at Hancock's public house in George St, in payment for some liquor. Mitchell said she got the coin from Cunningham, who accounted for the possession of it in a ''most discreditable manner''. The coin was one of 1834's, and a very good specimen of the ''spurious mintage.'' Both prisoners were remanded.

[Mister T]

Was it fake?

[gweidion]

[attachment=3959][attachment=3960]

Was it this one?

[Tanecoins]

Faking half crowns was quite common then. Usually copper or iron plated bronze.
Here is what a real one would look like (Apologies, mine is fairly worn).

[attachment=4118] [attachment=4119]

Coins were scarce in Australia then, so people would take and use what they had. It was several years before Gold was found and minted in huge quantities and the UK was still a 3 month boat ride away - coins often went as ballast and now those Keewees were needing British coins too!