Australian 50 cent coin
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| 50 cents (Australia) | |
|---|---|
| Value: | 0.50 AUD |
| Mass: | 15.55 g |
| Diameter: | 31.51 mm |
| Thickness: | 3.00 mm |
| Edge: | plain |
| Composition: | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Years of Minting: | 1969 – present |
| Catalog Number: | – |
| Obverse | |
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| Design: | Queen Elizabeth II, Australia's Queen |
| Designer: | Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Design Date: | 1994 |
| Reverse | |
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| Design: | Australian coat of arms |
| Designer: | Stuart Devlin |
| Design Date: | 1965 |
The twelve-sided Australian 50 cent piece is the largest Australian coin currently issued and second largest after the Crown of 1937-38. Originally the coin was made of 80% silver and 20% copper, but as the value of a free-floating silver price became higher, the coins' bullion value became more valuable than their face value and so were withdrawn from circulation. Many commemorative coins have been issued due to their large size allowing for a better image with more content. Most years have the coat of arms except those below, years of non-issue are: 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992. Standard designs were also issued with commemoratives in the following years: 1981, 2004 and 2005.
[edit] Commemorative coins
| Coin | Year | Mintage Figures [1] | Commemorative Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
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1970 | 16.54 million | 200th anniversary, Captain Cook claims the eastern coast of Australia |
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1977 | 25.07 million | Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II |
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1981 | 20 million | Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer Royal Wedding |
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1982 | 23.28 million | XII 1982 Commonwealth Games Brisbane |
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1988 | 8.1 million | 200th Anniversary, First Fleet |
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1991 | 4.7 million | 25th Anniversary of Decimal Currency |
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1994 | 20.87 million | International Year of the Family |
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1995 | 15.86 million | In honour of Sir Ernest Edward Dunlop (Weary Dunlop) |
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1998 | 22.39 million | Commemorating the discovery of The Bass Strait in 1798 by Matthew Flinders who named the Strait after his colleague George Bass |
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2000 | 5.145 million | Royal Visit |
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2000 | 16.63 million | Millennium year |
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2001 | 43.149 million | Centenary of Federation - Australia |
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2001 | 2.32 million | Centenary of Federation - States & Territories - Queensland |
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2001 | 3.042 million | Centenary of Federation - States & Territories - New South Wales |
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2001 | 2.8 million | Centenary of Federation - States & Territories - Victoria |
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2001 | 2.08 million | Centenary of Federation - States & Territories - Northern Territory |
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2001 | 2.4 million | Centenary of Federation - States & Territories - South Australia |
| 2001 | 2.4 million | Centenary of Federation - States & Territories - Western Australia | |
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2001 | 2.16 million | Centenary of Federation - States & Territories - Tasmania |
| 2001 | 2 million | Centenary of Federation - States & Territories - Australian Capital Territory | |
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2001 | 216 thousand | Centenary of Federation - States & Territories - Norfolk Island |
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2002 | 11.507 million | Year of the Outback |
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2003 | 13.927 million | Australia's Volunteers |
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2004 | 17.918 million | Student Design - Animals, with Wombat, Koala and Cockatoo. |
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2005 | 60th Anniversary End of World War II | |
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2005 | Student Design - XII 2006 Commonwealth Games Melbourne |
[edit] References
- ^ Pitt, Ian W. (ed.) (2000). Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values, 19th Edition. Chippendale, New South Wales: Renniks Publications. ISBN 0-9585574-4-6. p. 85.
[edit] External link
| Preceded by Australian 50 cent coin (round) |
Fifty Cents (Australian) 1969–present |
Succeeded by Current |
| Australian currency | |
|---|---|
| Topics | Australian dollar · Reserve Bank of Australia · Note Printing Australia |
| Mints | Royal Australian Mint · Melbourne Mint · Perth Mint · Sydney Mint |
| Coins | 1¢ · 2¢ · 5¢ · 10¢ · 20¢ · 50¢ round · 50¢ · $1 · $2 · Pre-£ coins · Coins of £ · Coins of $ |
| Banknotes | $1 · $2 · $5 · $10 · $20 · $50 · $100 |
| Historic | Pound sterling · Australian pound · ½d · 1d · 3d · 6d · 1/- · 2/- · 5/- · 10/- · £1 · £5 · £10 · £20 · £50 · £100 · £1000 |
