EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by authority of the Assistant Treasurer
Currency Act 1965
Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2021 Royal Australian 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 1 new circulating and 20 new non-circulating coins proposed to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint.
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 a 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 Interpretation 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
No public consultation was undertaken in relation to this legislative instrument. The effect of this instrument is to determine details of new Australian coin characteristics which will enable the Royal Australian Mint to continue its production of circulating and numismatic coins.
Members of the public have the opportunity to contact the Royal Australian Mint to present any themes they would like to see commemorated on Australian legal tender. These concepts are then researched and assessed in accordance with the Royal Australian Mint’s Coin Design Policy. The Royal Australian Mint also uses market based tools to identify interested parties and gauge interest in coin themes.
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 Royal Australian 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 1 new circulating and 20 new non-circulating coins proposed to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint.
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 Royal Australian Mint No. 3) Determination 2021
This Attachment sets out further details of the Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2021 Royal Australian Mint No. 3) Determination 2021 (the Determination).
Section 1 – Name
This section provides that the name of the Determination is the Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2021 Royal Australian 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 specified in a Schedule to the Determination is amended or repealed as set out in the Schedule.
Schedule 1 – Amendments
Schedule 1 amends the Currency (Australian Coins) Determination 2019 by adding the details of new coin characteristics and making technical amendments to ensure the Determination operates as intended. The newly determined coin characteristics are set out below.
New circulating coin
2022 $2 Aluminium Bronze Coloured Circulating Coin – Australia’s Frontline Workers
The design on the 2022 $2 coloured circulating coin – Australia’s frontline workers consists of a central circle containing a pattern of circles connected by lines overlaid by four concentric coloured circles graduating from grey to white, from the centre of the coin outwards. Surrounding the central circle is a stylised representation of 12 people all wearing facemasks with arms extended. Each represented person is described by one of the following:
- wearing a shirt, pants, a stethoscope and holding a medical bag;
- wearing a shirt, pants, apron and holding a spray bottle and cloth;
- wearing a hospital gown and stethoscope;
- wearing a military camouflage uniform;
- wearing a shirt, pants, apron and holding two shopping bags;
- wearing emergency service safety gear;
- wearing a dress, jacket and holding a pen and book;
- wearing a police uniform and cap;
- wearing a shirt, pants and holding an electronic device showing a pattern of circles connected by lines;
- wearing medical personal protective equipment;
- wearing a shirt, pants and holding a pen and book; and
- wearing a lab coat and holding a test tube.
The design includes the following inscriptions: “AUSTRALIA’S FRONTLINE WORKERS”; “TWO DOLLARS” and “AWB” (the initials of the designer Adam William Ball).
Consistent with all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II” and “AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design also includes the initials of the designer Jody Clark “JC”.
New non-circulating coins
2022 $2 Coloured Uncirculated Coin – Australia’s Frontline Workers
The design on the 2022 $2 coloured uncirculated coin – Australia’s frontline workers consists of a central circle containing a pattern of circles connected by lines overlaid by four concentric coloured circles graduating from grey to white, from the centre of the coin outwards. Surrounding the central circle is a stylised representation of 12 people all wearing facemasks with arms extended. Each represented person is described by one of the following:
- wearing a shirt, pants, a stethoscope and holding a medical bag;
- wearing a shirt, pants, apron and holding a spray bottle and cloth;
- wearing a hospital gown and stethoscope;
- wearing a military camouflage uniform;
- wearing a shirt, pants, apron and holding two shopping bags;
- wearing emergency service safety gear;
- wearing a dress, jacket and holding a pen and book;
- wearing a police uniform and cap;
- wearing a shirt, pants and holding an electronic device showing a pattern of circles connected by lines;
- wearing medical personal protective equipment;
- wearing a shirt, pants and holding a pen and book; and
- wearing a lab coat and holding a test tube.
The design includes the following inscriptions: “AUSTRALIA’S FRONTLINE WORKERS”; “TWO DOLLARS” and “AWB” (the initials of the designer Adam William Ball).
Consistent with all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II” and “AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design also includes the initials of the designer Jody Clark “JC”.
2021 50¢ Uncirculated Coin – Christmas
2021 50¢ Selectively Gold-Plated Silver Proof Coin – Christmas
The design on the 2021 50¢ Christmas coins consists of an Australian Christmas themed representation of a pattern of curved lines representing the ocean at the top of the coin. A series of billowing and curled shapes representing waves breaking on the beach are below the curved lines that represent the ocean. Bubbles and stars are rising from the breaking waves and are superimposed over the lines representing the ocean. Below the breaking waves are a series of overlapping parabolic and dotted lines representing the swash on the beach. The design includes the following inscriptions: “50” and “BS” (the initials of the designer Bronwyn Scott). The gold-plated coin has gold-plating on the area representing the beach on the reverse side of the coin and on the effigy of the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse side of the coin.
Consistent with all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II” and “AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design also includes the initials of the designer Jody Clark “JC”.
2021 20¢ Uncirculated Coin – Mungo Footprints
2021 $1 1/2oz Silver Proof Coin – Mungo Footprints
The design on the 2021 Mungo footprints coins consists of a representation of a photograph by Michael Amendolia of a 20,000-year-old ancient fossilised human footprint (the photograph was captured in the Mungo National Park, New South Wales). A map of Australia is embedded within the representation of dried earth that surrounds the footprint. The design includes the following inscriptions: “MILLENNIA”, “WILLANDRA LAKES TRACKWAY” and “TWENTY CENTS” or “ONE DOLLAR” as the case requires.
Consistent with all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II” and “AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design also includes the initials of the designer Jody Clark “JC”.
2021 $1 Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 150th anniversary of the RSPCA, Dolphin
2021 $1 Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 150th anniversary of the RSPCA, Layer Hen
2021 $1 Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 150th anniversary of the RSPCA, Bearded Dragon
2021 $1 Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 150th anniversary of the RSPCA, Dog
2021 $1 Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 150th anniversary of the RSPCA, Guinea Pig
2021 $1 Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 150th anniversary of the RSPCA, Horse
2021 $1 Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 150th anniversary of the RSPCA, Cat
2021 $1 Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 150th anniversary of the RSPCA, Wombat
2021 $1 Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 150th anniversary of the RSPCA, Farm Animals
There are various designs on the 2021 $1 coloured uncirculated coin – 150th anniversary of the RSPCA. Each design has a coloured print superimposed over a coloured background with a wavy banner with a representation of RSPCA Australia’s logo. The designs on each of the coins consist of:
• a stylised representation of a dolphin porpoising out of water;
• a stylised representation of a female domestic fowl (hen) and chicken eggs on straw;
• a stylised representation of a bearded dragon; and
• a stylised representation of a dog; and
• a stylised representation of a guinea pig eating foliage; and
• a stylised representation of a horse trotting; and
• a stylised representation of a cat; and
• a stylised representation of a wombat inspired by the RSPCA Australia trademark Wombat Wearing Bandage; and
• a stylised representation of a lamb, piglet and duck.
The designs include the inscription: “150 YEARS”.
Consistent with all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will appear on the obverse side of the coins together with the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II” and “AUSTRALIA” and the inscription, in numerals, of a year, and Arabic numerals for the amount, in dollars or cents, of the denomination of the coin followed by “DOLLAR”, “DOLLARS” or “CENTS” as the case requires. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Jody Clark “JC”.
2021 $1 Leadbeater’s Possum Privy Mark Uncirculated Coin – Australasian Numismatic Dealer's Association (ANDA) release
2021 $1 Numbat Privy Mark Uncirculated Coin – ANDA release
2021 $1 Platypus Privy Mark Uncirculated Coin – ANDA release
The design on the 2021 $1 privy mark uncirculated coins – ANDA release consists of a stylised representation of five kangaroos, “1 DOLLAR” and a privy mark with a stylised representation of either a Leadbeater’s possum, numbat or platypus enclosed in a square.
Consistent with all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will appear on the obverse side of the coins together with the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II”; “AUSTRALIA”; and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Jody Clark “JC”.
2021 $5 High Relief Silver Proof Coin – Fraser’s Dolphin
The design on the 2021 $5 high relief silver proof coin – Fraser’s Dolphin consists of a circular border surrounding and partially obscured by a representation of two Fraser’s dolphins porpoising out of the water. In the background is a representation of a rising sun on the horizon. The design includes the following inscriptions: “FRASER’S DOLPHIN”; and “Xoz .999 FINE SILVER”.
Consistent with all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will appear on the obverse side of the coins together with the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II” and “AUSTRALIA” and the inscription, in numerals, of a year, and Arabic numerals for the amount, in dollars or cents, of the denomination of the coin followed by “DOLLAR”, “DOLLARS” or “CENTS” as the case requires. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Jody Clark “JC”.
2022 $100 1oz Gold Investment Coin – Desert Scorpion
2022 $1 1oz Silver Investment Coin – Desert Scorpion
The design on the 2022 investment coins – desert scorpion consists of a circular border immediately inside the rim surrounding a stylised representation of a desert scorpion on sand representing the Australian desert in the foreground. In the background there is a stylised representation of the sun on the horizon with lines radiating out randomly to the border, with some partially obscured by the desert scorpion. The design includes the following inscriptions: “DESERT SCORPION”, “Xoz .9999 GOLD” or “Xoz .999 SILVER” as the case requires and “AB” in stylised form (the initials of the designer Aaron Baggio).
Consistent with all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will appear on the obverse side of the coins together with the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II” and “AUSTRALIA” and the inscription, in numerals, of a year, and Arabic numerals for the amount, in dollars or cents, of the denomination of the coin followed by “DOLLAR”, “DOLLARS” or “CENTS” as the case requires. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Jody Clark “JC”.