In 1966 Australia's first circulating decimal coins featured our unique native fauna on the reverse. Later coins have featured different designs to commemorate a famous person or event.

The policy and process for deciding on coin designs for our coins is based on the Mint's Policy on Coin Designs and Issue.

Circulating Coin Designs

Five Cent - 'Echidna'

The reverse side depicts a curled up echidna. The echidna is closely related to the platypus. The echidna and platypus are the only mammals in the world that produce their young in eggs. After hatching they feed on their mother's milk until they can forage for their own food.

The echidna lives in hollows, under trees, or among rocks found in many parts of Australia, from semi-desert to rainforests. They probe for ants and termites with their snout and lick them up with their long sticky tongue. If disturbed the echidna is able to burrow straight down very quickly.

Coin Design: Stuart Devlin
Metal: Cupro Nickel (75% Copper, 25% Nickel)
Mass: 2.83grams
Diameter: 19.41 mm

The reverse side features the lyrebird displaying its beautiful tail feathers. The tail feathers of the male are similar in shape to the ancient musical instrument, the lyre, hence the name lyrebird.

The lyrebird is found only in Australia and lives in the damp forests from Victoria to southern Queensland.

Coin Design: Stuart Devlin
Metal: Cupro Nickel (75% Copper, 25% Nickel)
Mass: 5.65 grams
Diameter: 23.60 mm

The reverse side features the platypus. The platypus and echidna are the only mammals in the world, which produce their young in eggs. The young suck milk from glands in the fur on the mother's belly. Often called the duckbilled platypus, because its snout is shaped like a duck's bill, the platypus has webbed feet to help it swim in search of small prawns, worms and insect larvae.

The platypus nest in burrows on the banks of streams and rivers in eastern Australia.

Coin Design: Stuart Devlin
Metal: Cupro Nickel (75% Copper, 25% Nickel)
Mass: 11.30 grams
Diameter: 28.52 mm

The Australian Coat of Arms unites the six state badges on a central shield. The ermine border signifies the federation of the states into the Commonwealth of Australia. A kangaroo and emu with a background of Australia's national flower, the golden wattle, support the shield.

The fifty cent coin is the only Australian circulating coin that is not round - it is dodecagonal.

Coin Design: Stuart Devlin
Metal: Cupro Nickel (75% Copper, 25% Nickel)
Mass: 15.55grams
Diameter: 31.51 mm

The reverse of the one dollar coin features kangaroos. They are part of the order of mammals called marsupials. The kangaroo can vary in size from mouse size to over two metres. Kangaroos are found all over Australia, they eat grass and green vegetation. The one dollar coin was minted to replace the note because notes only lasted in circulation for about eight months, while coins average 30 years.

Coin Design: Stuart Devlin
Metal: Aluminium Bronze (92% Copper, 6% Aluminium, 2% Nickel)
Mass: 9.00 grams
Diameter: 25.00 mm

The design on the reverse of the two dollar coin shows an Aboriginal tribal elder against a background of the Southern Cross constellation and native grass tree plants. The two dollar coin was introduced in 1988 to replace the two dollar note issued in 1966.

Coin Design:By Horst Hahne based on the original artwork of Ainslie Roberts
Metal: Aluminium Bronze (92% Copper, 6% Aluminium, 2% Nickel)
Mass: 6.60 grams
Diameter: 20.50 mm

Commemorative coin designs for the collector coins are numerous and ever changing. They are more readily found in the book: "The pocketbook guide to Australian Coins and Banknotes" by Greg McDonald.