What are Australian coins made of?
The Australian 50c, 20c, 10c and 5c coins are made of 75% copper, 25% nickel. The $1 and $2 coins are made of 92% copper, 6% aluminium and 2% nickel. The now out of use 1c and 2c coins were made of 97% copper, 2.5% zinc and 0.5% tin. They were discontinued in 1991 because the metal inside them became worth more than the coins themselves.
What picture is on each Australian Coin?
Australian coins mostly include images of native animals or people on one side and Queen Elizabeth on the other. Every so often, the Australian Mint will release special edition coins that include alternative artwork on the picture side of the coin. Below describes the typical artwork seen on each coin.
Who is on the $2 dollar Australia coin?
An unnamed Indigenous elder is on the Australian $2 coin, partly inspired by the very real Gwoya Tjungurrayi, the first indigenous man to appear on an Australian postage stamp. Art designed by Horst Hahne.
What Australian animal is on the $1 coin?
Five kangaroos are on the $1 coin – four leaping with the fifth posed in a relaxed posture.
What animals are on the Australian 50 cent coin?
A kangaroo and an emu – positioned around Australia’s coat of arms.
What animal is on the Australian 20 cent coin?
Platypus – swimming through shallow waters
What animal is on the Australian 10 cent coin?
Superb Lyrebird – the bird is hidden behind its plumage.
What animal is on the Australian 5 cent coin?
Echidna – curled up around the 5 cent symbol
What animal is on the Australian 2 cent coin?
Frill-Necked Lizard – rearing with its frill exposed.
What animal is on the Australian 1 cent coin?
Feathertail Glider – a possum standing protectively around the 1 symbol
What Australian coins are worth money?
What is the rarest Australian $2 coin?
At its original printing, the rarest Australian $2 coin produced were the royal mint is the 2020 World War II, 75th-anniversary coin – only 0.1 million coins made and the 2012 Commemorative Remembrance Day coin, with only 0.5 million coins were made. Aside from misprints, such as the 2008 and 2009 double struck coins, the rarest $2 coin are the weakly struck Euro Planchet struck coins which were accidentally struck on 10c Euro planchets.
Which Australian $1 coins are valuable?
The most valuable $1 coin is the 1992 Mob of Roos dollar coin, of which 8000 were minted, one of which sold for over $1000. In second place is the 2000 $1/10c mule. A perfect quality coin could be sold and valued for more than $2000, but most would be worth only around $300 or more. In third place is the misprinted 2001 Centenary of Federation coins, worth around $20-$30
What is the Most Valuable Australian 1 Dollar Coin You Can Find in Change?
How much is a round Australian 50 cent coin worth?
The exact value changes based on the value of the silver inside. As of 11/07/2021, just one 50 cent coin values approximately $8.92.
What is a proof coin?
A proof coin is a type of coin specifically made for collectors. They are typically highly polished with a mirror finish and are considered more valuable than their normal counterparts.
What to do with 1 and 2 cent coins in Australia?
As they are no longer considered a currency, these coins can be returned to a bank to remove them from circulation. However, these coins are often retained by collectors and the Royal Australian Mint occasionally releases commemorative coins in limited edition sets.
What shape is a 50 cent coin?
The Australian 50 cent coin is a 12 sided dodecagon.
How much does each Australian coin weigh?
Each Australian coin has a different size and weight so that they can easily be identified by feel by people, especially the visually impaired, but also by machines such as vending machines or coin-counting machines at banks.
How much does a $2 coin weigh?
An Australian $2 coin weighs 6.6g.
How much does a $1 coin weigh?
An Australian $1 coin weighs 9g
How much does a 50 cent coin weigh?
An Australian 50 cent coin weighs 15.55g
How much does a 20 cent coin weigh?
An Australian 20 cent coin weighs 11.3g
How much does a 10 cent coin weigh?
An Australian 10 cent coin weighs 5.65g
How much does a 5 cent coin weigh?
An Australian 5 cent coin weighs 2.83g
How much does a 2 cent coin weigh?
An Australian 2 cent coin weighs 5.2g
How much does a 1 cent coin weigh?
An Australian 1 cent coin weighs 2.6g
Can you deposit coins at an ATM?
The vast majority of ATMs do not accept coins, however, many banks do have coin deposit machines that serve that purpose. These machines can quickly sort and count your coins.
How to get coin rolls from banks in Australia
Most banks will sell rolls of coins at their face value on request.
How to clean Australian coins
Contact a professional cleaner. Although technically coins can be cleaned with common household goods, it does so by peeling away protective layers. The act of cleaning them thus adds tiny scratches and fibres to the surface and makes them more vulnerable to deterioration from touch. As a result, cleaned coins will often be considered worthless by collectors.
What happens to coins when the queen dies?
Very little. Over time the old coins will be removed from circulation, restruck and put back into circulation.
When was decimal currency (dollars and cents) introduced in Australia?
14 February 1966. It was introduced alongside the adoption of the decimal system.
What was used before Dollars and Cents in Australia?
The first official mint of Australia was in Sydney, founded in 1855. After federation, the Australian pound was the basic system and was in use from 1901 to 1966.
When was the $1 coin introduced in Australia?
14 February 1966. It was introduced alongside the adoption of the decimal system.
When did the 50 cent coin come out?
The 50 cent coin came out in Australia in 1969.
When was the $2 coin introduced in Australia?
The Australian $2 coin was released in 1988.
When did 1 and 2 cent coins stop in Australia?
Australia discontinued the 1 and 2 cent coins in 1991.
When do new coins come out?
New coins are continuously produced throughout the year at a rate of 650 per minute.
How many versions of the queen have been on Australian coins?
There have been five in total.
Image from Australian Coin Collecting Blog – Note they also have dedicated articles for each image.
Do banks accept coins?
Yes. Banks are always in need of coins to exchange for businesses.
How many coins fit in differently sized bottles?
A while ago there was a trend for people to collect $2 coins in different sized Coca Cola bottles as a savings technique. Here are how many $2 coins fit into popular Coke bottle sizes.
How many 2 dollar coins in a 600ml coke bottle?
Typically around $900, give or take around $30 depending on how they fall.
How many 2 dollar coins fit in a 1.25-litre bottle?
Approximately $2,000 give or take $60.
How many 2 collar coins fit in a 2-litre bottle?
Approximately $3,300 give or take $100
How many sides does a coin have?
This is a common trivia question. Technically a coin has 3 sides. One side features the bust of the ruling monarch, called heads, and the other a decorative image – typically of an animal – called tails. Then the edge is arguably a side in its own right, making a coin to be a very flat cylinder shape.
2 dollar Australian coins with a coloured ring
There have been numerous coloured-ring coins over the years. The first coloured coin was the 2012 Remembrance Day coin, which sported a red poppy on a gold background. Since then coloured coins have been released almost yearly and typically as $2 coins with a coloured ring.
Circulated Coins
2012
Commemorating Remembrance Day with an image of a red poppy. Designed by Aaron Baggio.
2013
Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with concentric purple stripes and a central design feature of St Edward’s Crown. Designed by Aleksandra Stokic.
2014
Commemorating Remembrance Day with a dove and olive branch surrounded by concentric green stripes and rays of sunlight inspired by the original Rising Sun badge of the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces. Designed by Royal Australian Mint.
2015
Commemorating 100 years since the Anzac Cove landings, inspired by the poppy, the distinctive and powerful red coloured print encapsulates the solemn words ‘Lest We Forget’. Designed by Aleksandra Stokic.
2015
Commemorating In Flanders Fields sculpted larks surround orange-coloured rings representing the sunset glow. Designed by Royal Australian Mint.
2017
An artistic depiction of Napier Waller’s mosaic from the Australian War Memorial’s Hall of Memory. Designed by Royal Australian Mint.
2017
The distinctive pointed leaves and purple flowers of the herb rosemary make a moving and evocative design. Designed by the Royal Australian Mint.
2018
A striking and evocative design that is inspired by the Eternal Flame at the Australian War Memorial. Designed by the Royal Australian Mint.
2018
This coin honours those who have fallen and commemorates the 100th anniversary of the First World War Armistice, signed on November 11,1918
2019
This 2019 $2 coloured coin commemorates a century of repatriation in Australia.
2019
This 2019 $2 coloured coin commemorates the 30th Anniversary of National Police Remembrance Day.
2020
The Royal Australian Mint commemorates the 75th anniversary of the End of World War II
There are also a number of coloured coins that were released in limited sets under abnormal circulation methods. They are still considered legal tender.
Uncirculated Coins
2016
Rio 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Coins from the Woolworths release collection.
2017
Possum Magic Coins from the Woolworths release collection.
2018
Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Coins from the Woolworths release collection.
2019
Mr Squiggle Coins from the Woolworths release collection.
2019
Limited Edition Wallabies Coin for the Woolworths release collection.
How many $1 coins are in circulation?
The number of coins in active circulation is unknown and difficult to accurately estimate, however, a total of 1,002.527 million coins have been printed since their first release in 1984.
Are coins legal tender in Australia?
Yes.
How much can you legally pay in coins in Australia?
According to the Currency Act 1965 (section 16) coins are legal tender in any combination under $5 for cent coins. If paying in $1, up to $10, and in $2 coins up to $20.
What is the most expensive coin in Australia?
In terms of production, the 1c and 2c coins cost more to make than their face value. However, the most valuable and expensive coins tend to be misprints, which coin collectors will pay $1000s at auction for.
Can you use New Zealand coins in Australia?
No, but mistakes do happen. It is quite common for New Zealand coins to wind up mixed in with Australian change, they do look quite similar.
How to exchange coins for cash Australia
If you go to a bank and ask a bank teller they will typically exchange directly.
