EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by authority of the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury
Currency Act 1965
Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2024 Royal Australian Mint No. 10) Determination 2024
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 12 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.
The Determination is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2003. The Determination is not subject to sunsetting under the Legislation Act 2003 on the grounds that the instrument ensures economic certainty (see item 20 of the table in section 12 of the Legislation (Exemptions and Other Matters) Regulation 2015). The instrument’s operation is integral in ensuring that the currency produced by the Mints becomes, and remains, legal tender unless or until returned to a mint to be taken out of circulation in accordance with the Currency Act 1965.
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 policies. 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 (2024 Royal Australian Mint No. 10) Determination 2024
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 12 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 (2024 Royal Australian Mint No. 10) Determination 2024
This Attachment sets out further details of the Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2024 Royal Australian Mint No. 10) Determination 2024 (the Determination).
Section 1 – Name
This section provides that the name of the Determination is the Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2024 Royal Australian Mint No. 10) Determination 2024.
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. The newly determined coin characteristics are set out below.
New non-circulating coins
2025 $2 Uncirculated Coin – Aussie Bubs – Tasmanian Devil
The design on the 2025 $2 Aussie bubs – Tasmanian devil coin consists of, in the foreground, a cartoon representation of a Tasmanian devil joey and, in the background, stylised representations of rocks, tufts of grass, and a den with 2 coins resting at the den’s entrance. The design includes the inscription “2 DOLLARS”.
Consistent with the tradition of an effigy of the reigning monarch appearing on the obverse
side of all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of His Majesty King Charles III will
appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “CHARLES III”,
“AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the
initials of the designer Dan Thorne “DT”.
2025 $1 Uncirculated Coin – Aussie Bubs – Quokka
The design on the 2025 $1 Aussie bubs – quokka coin consists of, in the foreground, a cartoon representation of a quokka joey standing on its hindlegs and holding a coin with a stylised representation of 5 kangaroos on it, and, in the background, a stylised representation of a tuft of grass. The design includes the inscription “1 DOLLAR”.
Consistent with the tradition of an effigy of the reigning monarch appearing on the obverse
side of all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of His Majesty King Charles III will
appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “CHARLES III”,
“AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the
initials of the designer Dan Thorne “DT”.
2025 50c Uncirculated Coin – Aussie Bubs – Koala
The design on the 2025 50c Aussie bubs – koala coin consists of, in the foreground, a cartoon representation of a koala joey holding a small tree branch with leaves and gumnuts, and partially obscured by the joey and the branch, a stylised representation of 2 coins. In the background, there is a stylised representation of a larger tree branch with leaves and gumnuts. The design includes the inscription “50”.
Consistent with the tradition of an effigy of the reigning monarch appearing on the obverse
side of all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of His Majesty King Charles III will
appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “CHARLES III”,
“AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the
initials of the designer Dan Thorne “DT”.
2025 20c Uncirculated Coin – Aussie Bubs – Leatherback Turtle
The design on the 2025 20c Aussie bubs – leatherback turtle coin consists of a cartoon representation of a leatherback turtle hatchling lying amongst waves and sand, and partially obscured by the sand, stylised representations of shells and a coin with a representation of water on it. The design includes the inscription “20”.
Consistent with the tradition of an effigy of the reigning monarch appearing on the obverse
side of all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of His Majesty King Charles III will
appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “CHARLES III”,
“AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the
initials of the designer Dan Thorne “DT”.
2025 10c Uncirculated Coin – Aussie Bubs – Leafy Seadragon
The design on the 2025 10c Aussie bubs – leafy seadragon coin consists of, in the foreground, a cartoon representation of a leafy seadragon fry, looking upwards, and, above the seadragon fry, a stylised representation of a coin sinking in the water surrounded by bubbles. In the background, there is a stylised representation of water and underwater plants. The design includes the inscription “10”.
Consistent with the tradition of an effigy of the reigning monarch appearing on the obverse
side of all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of His Majesty King Charles III will
appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “CHARLES III”,
“AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the
initials of the designer Dan Thorne “DT”.
2025 5c Uncirculated Coin – Aussie Bubs – Tawny Frogmouth
The design on the 2025 5c Aussie bubs – tawny frogmouth coin consists of a cartoon representation of a tawny frogmouth chick sitting in a nest with 5 coins. The design includes the inscription “5”.
Consistent with the tradition of an effigy of the reigning monarch appearing on the obverse
side of all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of His Majesty King Charles III will
appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “CHARLES III”,
“AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the
initials of the designer Dan Thorne “DT”.
2025 $5 Silver Proof Coin – Aussie Bubs – Quokka
The design on the 2025 $5 silver Aussie bubs – quokka coin consists of, in the foreground, a cartoon representation of a quokka joey standing on its hindlegs and holding a Dichopogon strictus (also known as a chocolate lily). In the background, partially obscured by the quokka joey, there is a stylised representation of additional chocolate lilies. The design includes the following inscriptions: “EW” (being the initials of the designer Elyssa Waterford); and “5 DOLLARS”.
Consistent with the tradition of an effigy of the reigning monarch appearing on the obverse
side of all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of His Majesty King Charles III will
appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “CHARLES III”,
“AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the
initials of the designer Dan Thorne “DT”.
2025 $1 ‘Melbourne Map’ Privy Mark Uncirculated Coin – Mob of Roos
2025 $1 ‘Brisbane Map’ Privy Mark Uncirculated Coin – Mob of Roos
2025 $1 ‘Perth Map’ Privy Mark Uncirculated Coin – Mob of Roos
2025 $1 ‘Adelaide Map’ Privy Mark Uncirculated Coin – Mob of Roos
2025 $1 ‘Sydney Map’ Privy Mark Uncirculated Coin – Mob of Roos
The design on the 2025 map privy mark – mob of roos coins consists of a stylised representation of 5 kangaroos, the inscription “1 DOLLAR”, and one of the following:
• The ‘Melbourne Map’ coin includes a stylised representation of the boundaries of Melbourne, Victoria, enclosed in a square.
• The ‘Brisbane Map’ coin includes a stylised representation of the boundaries of Brisbane, Queensland, enclosed in a square.
• The ‘Perth Map’ coin includes a stylised representation of the boundaries of Perth, Western Australia, enclosed in a square.
• The ‘Adelaide Map’ coin includes a stylised representation of the boundaries of Adelaide, South Australia, enclosed in a square.
• The ‘Sydney Map’ coin includes a stylised representation of the boundaries of Sydney, New South Wales, enclosed in a square.
Consistent with the tradition of an effigy of the reigning monarch appearing on the obverse
side of all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of His Majesty King Charles III will
appear on the obverse side of the coin together with the inscriptions “CHARLES III”,
“AUSTRALIA”, and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the
initials of the designer Dan Thorne “DT”.