Fighting around the Mediterranean, on the sea, in the air, and on the land, characterised the experiences of the Australian armed forces during 1940 and 1941. The Royal Australian Mint is proud to present the 1941: Service Amid Strife (Australia in the Second World War) coin release. The three coins in this set commemorate the major campaigns in these areas in 1941, as well as the establishment of the women’s services, which first came into being during that same year.
Greece & Crete
The Design
The Greece and Crete design focuses on the German aerial assault in Crete. Junkers planes fly in formation above and German parachutes descend through the sky. The central focus of the design is an Australian Army soldier who mans an anti-aircraft gun pointing up towards the enemy advancement. The soldier is shown atop a structure inspired by Minoan columns, an architectural feature local to the island of Crete. A horizontal line of standing figures represents those injured, fighting and lost in this conflict. Blue and white colour print represents the stripes on the Greek flag.
North Africa & the Middle East
The Design
The North Africa and the Middle East coin features some of the materiel utilised in these conflicts by the Australian Air Force, Army and Navy. The ship depicted is the HMAS Stuart, used in the evacuation of Crete. A Hawker Hurricane plane represents the Air Force, and representative of the Army is an Ordnance QF 25-pounder gun. The background pattern is inspired by tiled patterns historically found in the North African and Middle Eastern regions, while the colour print draws from war medals awarded for service in these areas.
Women's Services
The Design
This coin commemorates the establishment of Australian women’s auxiliary services in 1941. The design depicts a few of the many roles undertaken by women in these services. Three lines of morse code radiate from the telegraph key near the centre of the design, spelling out the acronyms of the three services. The colour print is inspired by the uniform colours of the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force – the first and largest of the services.
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From Friday 15 May 2026 8:30am (AEST):
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From Tuesday 19 May 2026 8:30am (AEST):
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Mintage: 40,000
Product Issue: 5,000
Price: $17.50
Limit per person: 3
Mintage: 40,000
Product Issue: 5,000
Price: $17.50
Limit per person: 3
Mintage: 40,000
Product Issue: 5,000
Price: $17.50
Limit per person: 3
Mintage: 40,000
Product Issue: 35,000
Price: $50.00
Limit per person: 3
Mintage: 5,000
Price: $260.00
Limit per person: 1