Latest news and updates on Australian numismatic - Coins, banknotes, tokens
July 26, 2024
3 pence 1953 to 1964 - Price Guide and values
Queen Elizabeth II first appeared in 1953 on our coinage following the death of her father in 1952. The rather engaging portrait of the young queen was designed by English sculptress, Mrs Mary Gillick, an ageing widow whose design was accepted as she celebrated her seventy-first birthday. The legend was also revised.
July 24, 2024
2 dollars 1988 to 2024 - Uncirculated and proof coins added
Two dollars Australian coins produced since 1988 by the Royal Australian Mint. Most years since, the RAM has released special coins not intended for circulation, often with more refined manufacturing process than circulation coins.
July 23, 2024
1 dollar 1966 to 1984 - Price guide and values
The front of Australia's new $1 banknote bore a portrait of the Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, and a representation of the Australian Coat of Arms. The back of the banknote was distinctive with an interpretation of an Aboriginal bark painting by David Daymirringu and of other paintings and carvings.
July 21, 2024
3 pence 1938 to 1952 - Price Guide and values
The U.S.A. mints at Denver and San Francisco came to the party, churning out over £6 million worth of florins, shillings, sixpences and threepences between 1942 and 1944. These coins carry either the mintmark 'D' or 'S' respectively. In 1945 and 1946, no threepence was produced.
July 19, 2024
3 pence 1910 to 1936 - Price Guide and values
The obverse of the 1910 issues depicts a crowned and robed bust of Edward VII facing right. In 1911, George was also portrayed crowned and robed although his more youthful looks faced left in the English tradition of alternating the facing direction of each subsequent monarch. Each coin was struck in what is known as .925 fine silver (925 parts silver with 75 parts copper).
July 17, 2024
2024 Change of Monarch Year Sets
To commemorate the transformation of Australian coins obverses of the last 70 years, the Royal Canadian Mint issued 2024 proof and uncirculated sets with different portraits: Queen Elizabeth II by Mary Gillick, Arnold Machin, Raphael Maklouf, Ian Rank-Broadley and Jody Clark appear on five of the coins while the new effigy of His Majesty King Charles III by Daniel Thorne appears on the sixth.
July 16, 2024
50 cents 2003 - Coronation
Royal Australian Mint's commemorated the 50th Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II Coronation on two 50 cents coins. Designer Peter Soobik, from Orange, New South Wales, included on the reverse, the Australia's Federation Star, the Southern Cross and sprigs of wattle in his design.
July 15, 2024
Penny 1953 to 1964 - Price Guide and values
The Penny reverse design changed in 1938 and remained the same until the decimal currency adoption. The obverse now shows Queen Elizabeth II. In 1954, no penny was produced.
July 12, 2024
1 dollar 2004 - Eureka Stockade
In 2004, the Royal Canadian Mint released special dollar coins to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Eureka Stockade. The design for this $1 represents the uprising of the gold miners at Ballarat. Eureka is widely viewed as the most dramatic event experienced on Australian soil in the 19th century. The event, which took place on Sunday December 3, is seen by many Australians as the rise of democracy in this country and the concept of a 'fair go'.
July 12, 2024
Penny 1938 to 1952 - Price Guide and values
Most of the reverses on Australian coins changed in 1938, except for the Half Penny and the sixpence. The Penny design changed for the roo reverse. Our old standby, India, came to the rescue with the Bombay branch of the Royal Mint striking both pennies and halpennies during 1942 and 1943.
July 10, 2024
50 cents 2024 - 50 years of NAIDOC
The Royal Australian Mint released a new coin in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC). It was unveiled during a civic reception in the Queen Adelaide room at the Adelaide Town Hall. The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Dr Jane Lomax-Smith welcomed more than 50 guests including members of the National NAIDOC Committee, NAIDOC South Australia Committee and the Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation.
July 9, 2024
Penny 1911 to 1936 - Price Guide and values
In 1910, the first distinctive Australian Commonwealth coins, struck at the Royal Mint in London, were introduced. It was a somewhat jinxed start for Australian currency. Only in 1911 was the introduction of halfpennies and pennies for the first time and a portrait of the new king - Edward's son, George V.
July 7, 2024
New Zealand - Crown - 1935 to 1953 - Price Guide
The crown piece of 1935, popularly known as the Waitangi Crown because of its reverse design and exergue inscription, occupies a special place in the numismatic history of New Zealand. As a work of art, it is surely less startling than the British Silver Jubilee crown of the same year by the same designer, Percy Metcalfe, which depicts a bareheaded St George on a clockwork horse vanquishing a very angular wounded dragon.
July 5, 2024
Half Penny 1953 to 1964 - Price Guide and values
The Half Penny reverse design changed in 1939 and remained the same until the decimal currency adoption. The obverse now shows Queen Elizabeth II. From 1956 to 1958, no half penny were produced.
July 4, 2024
1 dollar 1984 to 2022 - Uncirculated and proof coins added
One dollar Australian coins produced since 1984 by the Royal Australian Mint. Most years since, the RAM has released special coins not intended for circulation, often with more refined manufacturing process than circulation coins.
June 30, 2024
Half Penny 1938 to 1952 - Price Guide and values
Most of the reverses on Australian coins changed in 1938, except for the Half Penny and the sixpence. The Half Penny design only changed in at the end of 1939 for the roo reverse. Our old standby, India, came to the rescue with the Bombay branch of the Royal Mint striking both pennies and halpennies during 1942 and 1943.
June 28, 2024
New Zealand - Half Crown - 1933 to 1965 - Price Guide
The design on reverse shows the New Zealand coat of arms within Mãori ornamental design. The New Zealand coat of arms, adopted in 1911 and revised in 1956, identifies New Zealand as a bicultural country, with a European female figure on one side and a Mãori rangatira (chief) on the other. The symbols on the central shield represent New Zealand’s trade, agriculture and industry.
June 26, 2024
The 1999 Masterpieces Silver Coins
In 1999, a set named Coins of the 20th Century: Memories, limited to 15 000 sets was released to illustrate the popularity of classic pre-decimal designs. In fine silver, the reverse designs were chosen to reflect an important time in Australian history.
June 24, 2024
10 pounds 1940 to 1966 banknotes price guide and values
It was four years after the death of King George V before the design on the front of the five pound note was modified. George VI's portrait replaced that of the George V and the watermark was changed to Captain James Cook. The death of King George VI belatedly led to the introduction of new designs for the ten pound note. Commander of the First Fleet and first Governor of New South Wales, Captain Arthur Phillip, features on the front of the new note and a theme of Industry and Science appears on the back, together with a woman modelled by Karina Nartiss.
June 22, 2024
New Zealand - Florin - 1933 to 1965 - Price Guide
The design on reverse shows a foraging kiwi. The kiwi has long had a special significance for the indigenous Mãori people, who used its skin to make feather cloaks (kahu kiwi) for chiefs. Nationwide studies show that only around 5 to 10% of kiwi chicks survive to adulthood without management. Kiwi is also a common self-reference used by New Zealanders and even internationally.
June 20, 2024
Sir Donald Bradman on Australian Coins
Sir Donald Bradman, died in his Adelaide home on February 25, 2001, at the age of 92. In 52 Test matches from 1928 to 1948, The Don scored 6,996 runs at an average of 99.94. He was a batsman without peer, a highly respected cricket administrator, and a gentleman both on and off the field.
June 18, 2024
Commemorating Army Centenary - 1 dollar 2001
One March 5, 2001, Lieutenant General Peter Cosgrove today a 1 dollar coin commemorating the Army's 100th birthday, at the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra. This coin was produced to raise awareness of the bravery and sacrifices of the Army's servicemen and women over the last century.
June 18, 2024
New Zealand - Shilling - 1933 to 1965 - Price Guide
The reverse design shows a crouching Mãori warrior, holding a taiaha. The Mãori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. They are a subgroup of Polynesians, who were the decedents of Austronesians (the majority of whom are Indonesians). The Taiaha is a traditional weapon of the Mãori of New Zealand, sharp on one end, with a slicing club on the other.
June 15, 2024
New Zealand 6 pence - 1933 to 1965 - Price Guide
The reverse of these coins shows extinct huia bird perched on a branch. The last confirmed sighting of a huia was in 1907, although there was a credible sighting in 1924. Like the extinctions of other New Zealand birds such as the piopio in the 19th century, the decline of the huia was poorly studied.
June 14, 2024
6 pence 1938 to 1963 - Price Guide and values
The design was to change on each of the coins in 1938 - with one exception. It was retained for the sixpence and its fifty-three-year-old history only came to an end with the introduction of decimal currency in 1966. In 1947 and 1949, no sixpence was produced.
