EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by authority of the Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness, Social and Community Housing
Currency Act 1965
Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2021 Perth Mint No. 3) Determination 2021
Subsection 13(2) and section 13A of the Currency Act 1965 (the Act) provide that the Treasurer may, by legislative instrument, determine details of Australian coin characteristics including denomination, standard composition, standard weight, allowable variation from standard weight, design and dimensions.
The purpose of this legislative instrument is to determine the characteristics of 28 new non-circulating coins proposed to be issued by The Perth Mint and to make technical amendments to ensure the Determination operates as intended.
The Treasurer may authorise the making and issuing of coins specified, or taken to be specified, in the Schedule to the Currency Act 1965. A payment of money is legal tender if it is made in coins that are made and issued under the Currency Act 1965. Through the issue of a currency determination, the Treasurer can add, remove and alter the coin characteristics specified, or taken to be specified, in the Schedule to the Currency Act 1965.
In accordance with section 19 of the Acts Interpretations Act 1901, any Minister in the Treasury portfolio may, by legislative instrument, determine details of Australian coin characteristics.
Details of the legislative instrument are set out in the Attachment.
The legislative instrument commenced on the day after it was registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.
The legislative instrument is subject to disallowance under section 42 of the Legislation Act 2003.
Consultation
The Perth Mint undertook consultation among its network of Australian and international wholesale distributors. Authorised Australian distributors of The Perth Mint products are consulted regularly during business meetings and participation at the Australian Numismatic Dealers’ Association Coin, Banknote and Stamp shows. Likewise, international distributors were consulted during a schedule of individual meetings hosted during the World Money Fair held in Berlin and the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money.
Limited consultation was conducted with external parties due to the confidentiality of coin themes and artwork, due to the risk of competitors viewing the innovations and potentially releasing similar coins into the market prior to the release.
Members of the public have the opportunity to contact The Perth Mint to present any themes they would like to see commemorated on Australian legal tender. These concepts are then researched and presented to The Perth Mint’s sales and marketing department for consideration and feedback.
Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights
Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011
Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2021 Perth Mint No. 3) Determination 2021
This Legislative Instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in section 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.
Overview of the Legislative Instrument
The purpose of this legislative instrument is to determine the characteristics of 28 new non-circulating coins proposed to be issued by The Perth Mint and to make technical amendments to ensure the Determination operates as intended.
Human rights implications
This Legislative Instrument does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms.
Conclusion
This Legislative Instrument is compatible with human rights as it does not raise any human rights issues.
ATTACHMENT
Details of the Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2021 Perth Mint No. 3) Determination 2021
Section 1 – Name of the Determination
This section provides that the name of the Determination is the Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2021 Perth Mint No. 3) Determination 2021.
Section 2 – Commencement
This section prescribes that the Determination commences the day after the Determination is registered.
Section 3 – Authority
This section provides that the Determination is made under the Currency Act 1965.
Section 4 – Schedule
This section provides that each instrument that is specified in the Schedule to this Determination will be amended or repealed as set out in this Schedule.
Schedule 1 – Amendments
The Schedule amends the Currency (Australian Coins) Determination 2019 by adding new coin specifications to Part 2 of Schedule 2021. The newly determined coin characteristics are set out below.
$100 2021 1oz Gold Australian Nugget 35th Anniversary Gilded Coin
The design on the $100 2021 1oz gold Australian nugget 35th anniversary gilded coin consists of a pattern of dots forming a circle immediately inside the rim, enclosing Stuart Devlin’s original 1986 depiction of the Welcome Stranger gold nugget surrounded by a gilded circular pattern of stylised sunrays. The design includes the following inscriptions: “THE AUSTRALIAN NUGGET”; “X OZ. FINE GOLD” (where “X” is the nominal weight in ounces of the coin, expressed as a whole number or a common fraction in Arabic numerals); the inscription, in Arabic numerals, of a year; “35”; “WELCOME STRANGER 1869”; the initials of the designer Stuart Devlin “SD”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
$50 2021 1/2oz Gold Australian Nugget 35th Anniversary Gilded Coin
The design on the $50 2021 1/2oz gold Australian nugget 35th anniversary gilded coin consists of a pattern of dots forming a circle immediately inside the rim, enclosing Stuart Devlin’s original 1986 depiction of the Hand of Faith gold nugget surrounded by a gilded circular pattern of stylised sunrays. The design includes the following inscriptions: “THE AUSTRALIAN NUGGET”; “X OZ. FINE GOLD” (where “X” is the nominal weight in ounces of the coin, expressed as a whole number or a common fraction in Arabic numerals); the inscription, in Arabic numerals, of a year; “35”; “HAND OF FAITH 1980”; the initials of the designer Stuart Devlin “SD”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
$25 2021 1/4oz Gold Australian Nugget 35th Anniversary Gilded Coin
The design on the $25 2021 1/4oz gold Australian nugget 35th anniversary gilded coin consists of a pattern of dots forming a circle immediately inside the rim, enclosing Stuart Devlin’s original 1987 depiction of the Golden Eagle gold nugget surrounded by a gilded circular pattern of stylised sunrays. The design includes the following inscriptions: “THE AUSTRALIAN NUGGET”; “X OZ. FINE GOLD” (where “X” is the nominal weight in ounces of the coin, expressed as a whole number or a common fraction in Arabic numerals); the inscription, in Arabic numerals, of a year; “35”; “GOLDEN EAGLE 1931”; the initials of the designer Stuart Devlin “SD”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
$15 2021 1/10oz Gold Australian Nugget 35th Anniversary Gilded Coin
The design on the $15 2021 1/10oz gold Australian nugget 35th anniversary gilded coin consists of a pattern of dots forming a circle immediately inside the rim, enclosing Stuart Devlin’s original 1986 depiction of the Little Hero gold nugget surrounded by a gilded circular pattern of stylised sunrays. The design includes the following inscriptions: “THE AUSTRALIAN NUGGET”; “X OZ. FINE GOLD” (where “X” is the nominal weight in ounces of the coin, expressed as a whole number or a common fraction in Arabic numerals); the inscription, in Arabic numerals, of a year; “35”; “LITTLE HERO 1890”; the initials of the designer Stuart Devlin “SD”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
$2 2021 2oz Silver Christmas Coloured Antiqued Coin
The design on the 2021 2oz silver Christmas coloured antiqued coin consists of a circular border immediately within the rim of the coin with an annular design beneath, with some colour, consisting of a snowy streetscape of buildings, streetlamps, a windmill, trees, and deer. Some children are depicted playing on a sleigh while others are building a snowman. There is a snow angel, footprints and paths in the snow, with snowflakes, and curved lines representing eddies, in the sky. The design includes the following inscriptions: the initials of the designer Monique Reeves “MR”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coin bears an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, partially obscuring a circular border of stylised snowflakes, as designed by Jody Clark.
$1 2021 13.5g Base Metal Christmas Coin
The design on the $1 2021 base metal Christmas coin consists of a coloured stylised representation of a sulphur-crested cockatoo holding a gift with a coloured ribbon in its beak. The cockatoo is perched on a branch, which is covered in coloured lights and ornaments (some coloured) hanging from the tree foliage. The design includes the following inscriptions: “MERRY CHRISTMAS”; the initials of the designer Ing Ing Jong “IJ”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
$1 2021 1oz Silver Dragon Rectangle Coin
The design on the $1 2021 1oz silver dragon rectangle coin consists of a stylised representation of a dragon curled up. The design includes the following inscriptions: the initials of the designer Lucas Bowers “LB”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark, superimposed over radial lines within a square.
$1 2021 13.5g Base Metal Happy Birthday Coin
The design on the $1 2021 13.5g base metal Happy Birthday coin consists of a coloured representation of a cake with candles on a cake stand surrounded by wrapped gifts and confetti. The design includes the following inscriptions: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”; the initials of the designer Jennifer McKenna “JM”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
10c 2022 1/10oz Silver Kangaroo Coin
$500 2022 5oz Gold Kangaroo Coin
$200 2022 2oz Gold Kangaroo High Relief Coin
$100 2022 1oz Gold Kangaroo High Relief Coin
The design on the 2022 silver and gold Kangaroo coins consists of a partial circle enclosing a representation of a bounding kangaroo and joey in the foreground and in the background a representation of a grassy field and mountains. The design includes the following inscriptions: “KANGAROO”; the inscription, in Arabic numerals, of a year; “Xoz 9999 SILVER” or “Xoz 9999 GOLD” as the case requires (where “X” is the nominal weight in ounces of the coin, expressed as a whole number or a common fraction in Arabic numerals); the initials of the designer Neil Hollis “NH”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
$8 2022 5oz Silver Koala Gilded High Relief Coin
$500 2022 5oz Gold Koala Coin
The design on the 2022 silver high relief and gold koala coins consists of a partial circle enclosing a stylised representation of a koala sleeping on a leafy tree branch. On the gilded high relief coin the rim and koala are gilded. The design includes the following inscriptions: “KOALA”; the inscription, in Arabic numerals, of a year; “Xoz 9999 SILVER” or “Xoz 9999 GOLD” as the case requires (where “X” is the nominal weight in kilograms of the coin, expressed as a whole number or a common fraction in Arabic numerals); the initials of the designer Ing Ing Jong “IJ”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark. On the obverse side of the $8 coin, the rim of the coin is gilded.
$8 2022 5oz Silver Kookaburra High Relief Incused Coin
$2 2022 2oz Silver Kookaburra Gilded High Relief Coin
$15 2022 1/10oz Platinum Kookaburra Coin
$1 2022 1oz Silver Kookaburra Coloured Coin
The design on the 2022 silver and platinum kookaburra coins consists of a partial circle enclosing a representation of a kookaburra perched on the edge of a bird bath, with flowers and foliage in the background. On the gilded coin the rim and the kookaburra are gilded, and the kookaburra, flowers and foliage are coloured in the coloured coin. The design includes the following inscriptions: “KOOKABURRA”; the inscription, in Arabic numerals, of a year; “Xoz 9999 SILVER” or “Xoz 9995 Pt” as the case requires (where “X” is the nominal weight in ounces of the coin, expressed as a whole number or a common fraction in Arabic numerals); the initials of the designer Natasha Muhl “NM”; and the letter “P”. The coloured coin design also includes a microscopic “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark. On the obverse side of the $2 coin, the rim of the coin is gilded.
$2 2022 0.5g Gold Mini Roo Coin
The design on the $2 2022 0.5g gold mini roo coin consists of a partial circle enclosing a representation of a bounding kangaroo in the foreground and in the background a representation of a grassy field and mountains. The design includes the following inscriptions: “KANGAROO”; the inscription, in Arabic numerals, of a year; “Xg 9999 GOLD” (where “X” is the nominal weight in grams of the coin, expressed as a whole number or a decimal number or a common fraction in Arabic numerals); the initials of the designer Neil Hollis “NH”; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
$50 2022 Gold Sovereign Piedfort High Relief Gilded Coin with Privy
$25 2022 Gold Sovereign Gilded coin with Privy
The design of the 2022 gold sovereign privy coins consists of a representation of a laurel wreath and a platinum plated St Edward’s Crown. The design includes the following inscriptions: “PERTH MINT”; “70” enclosed in an oval; “AUSTRALIA”; and “SOVEREIGN”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
$30 2022 1kg Silver Tiger Coloured Coin
$2 2022 2oz Silver Tiger Coloured Coin
$1 2022 1oz Silver Tiger Coloured Coin
50c 2022 1/2oz Silver Tiger Coloured Coin
The design on 2022 silver tiger coloured coins consists of a representation of a rear-facing coloured tiger in the foreground with rocky ground, foliage and bamboo leaves in the background. The design includes the following inscriptions: “TIGER”; “2022”; the Chinese language character (虎) pronounced hǔ under the Pinyin system and meaning tiger; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
25c 2022 1/4oz Silver Tiger Coloured Coin
$15 2022 1/10oz Gold Tiger Coloured Coin
$5 2022 1/2oz Gold Tiger Coloured Coin
The design on the silver and gold tiger coloured coins consists of a coloured stylised representation of a tiger and tiger cub, in a traditional Chinese folk-art style by Chinese artist Lu Danya, the Chinese language character (王) pronounced wáng under the Pinyin system and meaning king is enclosed by a heart on the tiger and cubs foreheads. The tiger and cub are pulling on a blanket with their teeth to reveal coloured representations of gold sycee ingots. The design includes the following inscriptions: “TIGER”; “2022”; the Chinese language character (虎) pronounced hǔ under the Pinyin system and meaning tiger; and the letter “P”.
The obverse side of the coins bear an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II as designed by Jody Clark.
Schedule 1 also makes a minor refinement to the specifications of two previously determined coins, reflecting a design limitation identified during the manufacturing process.