EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by authority of the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury
Currency Act 1965
Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2026 Royal Australian Mint No. 2) Determination 2026
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 13 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 (2026 Royal Australian Mint No. 2) Determination 2026
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 13 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 (2026 Royal Australian Mint No. 2) Determination 2026
This Attachment sets out further details of the Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2026 Royal Australian Mint No. 2) Determination 2026 (the Determination).
Section 1 – Name
This section provides that the name of the Determination is the Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2026 Royal Australian Mint No. 2) Determination 2026.
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
2026 50c Uncirculated Coin – Battle of Kapyong
2026 50c ‘Envelope’ Privy Mark Uncirculated Coin – Battle of Kapyong
The design on the 2026 50c uncirculated coins – Battle of Kapyong consists of three unevenly divided sections, each enclosing one of the following:
- a stylised representation of a landscape consisting of a grassy plain, shrubs and rolling hills with, in the foreground, a representation of a line of 5 soldiers, in uniform, viewed from behind, looking towards the rolling hills, with one of the soldiers partially obscured by the rim of the coin; and
- a geometric pattern of poppy and wattle flowers, inspired by Korean traditional architecture; and
- the number “50”.
The design includes the following inscriptions: “APRIL 1951”; “BATTLE OF KAPYONG”; “37°52’36”N” and “127°31’48”E” (which are the geographical coordinates to the site of the Battle of Kapyong fought from 22 to 27 April 1951); and “BS” (being the initials of the designer B. Scott). The ‘envelope’ privy mark coin also includes a stylised representation of an envelope.
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 Arabic numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Dan Thorne “DT”.
2026 20c Coloured Fine Silver Proof Coin – 1941 – Greece and Crete
2026 20c Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 1941 – Greece and Crete
2026 20c ‘Envelope’ Privy Mark Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 1941 –
Greece and Crete
The design on the 2026 20c coloured coins – 1941 – Greece and Crete consists of, in the foreground, a representation of a soldier standing on a column holding and pointing a mounted gun at the sky, with the soldier’s body partially obscured by the column, and the lower part of the column (which is partially obscured by the rim of the coin) forming a stylised representation of the number “20”. At the top of the coin there is a representation of five Junkers Ju 52 aircraft flying in formation, viewed from below, and representations of four paratroopers in midair, with the one of the paratroopers partially obscuring another of the paratroopers. In the background, and partially obscured by the soldier, column and mounted gun, there is a representation of a section of a fragment of a destroyed building and the stylised representation of eight people standing in a row, with each person representing one of the following:
- a soldier, in uniform, with his left arm in a sling and his right arm behind his back; and
- a female nurse wearing a dress and headdress, with her arms clasped behind her back; and
- a male navy sailor, in uniform, with his arms clasped behind his back; and
- a male farmer wearing a shirt, pants and a cap, with his arms clasped behind his back; and
- a male soldier, in uniform, holding a rifle at rest which is pointing to the left; and
- a female nurse wearing a dress and headdress, with her arms clasped behind her back; and
- a male farmer wearing a shirt with rolled up sleeves, pants and a cap, and holding a farming tool; and
- a male soldier, in uniform, holding a rifle at rest which is pointing to the right.
Partially obscured by the rim of the coin, there are two blue- and one white-coloured rectangular shapes (representing the colours of the Greek flag). The design includes the following inscriptions: “GREECE & CRETE”; “1941”; and “AB” (being the initials of the designer A. Baggio) in a stylised form. The ‘envelope’ privy mark coin also includes a stylised representation of an envelope.
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 Arabic numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Dan Thorne “DT”.
2026 20c Coloured Fine Silver Proof Coin – 1941 – North Africa and Middle East
2026 20c Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 1941 – North Africa and Middle East
2026 20c ‘Envelope’ Privy Mark Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 1941 – North Africa and Middle East
The design on the 2026 20c coloured coins – 1941 – North Africa and Middle East consists of, and partially obscured by the rim of the coin, a representation of a Hawker Hurricane aircraft in flight, viewed from above. Partially obscured by the rim of the coin, there is a representation of a warship, viewed from the side, based on the Royal Australian Navy’s Scott Class Destroyer Flotilla Leader warship ‘HMAS Stuart’. There is a representation of an Ordnance QF 25-pounder field gun. Partially obscured by the rim of the coin, there are red-, yellow-, dark blue- and light blue-coloured parallelogram shapes (representing the colours of the British and Commonwealth military award, the Africa Star). In the background and on the right of the coin, and partially obscured by the aircraft, field gun and yellow-coloured parallelogram shape, there is a geometric pattern of various shapes, inspired by the architectural style of tiles commonly found in the regions of North Africa and the Middle East. The design includes the following inscriptions: “20”; “NORTH AFRICA”; “MIDDLE EAST”; “1941”; and “AB” (being the initials of the designer A. Baggio) in a stylised form. The ‘envelope’ privy mark coin also includes a stylised representation of an envelope.
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”.
2026 20c Coloured Fine Silver Proof Coin – 1941 – Women’s Services
2026 20c Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 1941 – Women’s Services
2026 20c ‘Envelope’ Privy Mark Coloured Uncirculated Coin – 1941 – Women’s Services
The design on the 2026 20c coloured coins – 1941 – Women’s Services consists of, in the foreground, and partially obscured by the rim of the coin, a stylised representation of a standing female telegraphist, viewed from the side, wearing a skirt, jacket and headphones, and operating a telegraph key, with the skirt forming a stylised representation of the number “20”. There is a stylised representation of a female mechanic, viewed from the side, wearing a work shirt, pants and a cap, holding a spanner in her left hand and standing on a platform behind a handrail next to an aircraft propellor, with the propellor partially obscured by the mechanic, telegraphist and rim of the coin. Behind, and partially obscured by, the mechanic, platform, handrail and propellor, there is a stylised representation of another aircraft propellor (which is also obscured by the rim of the coin).
There is also a representation of a female clerk, wearing a shirt and tie, sitting behind a desk operating a typewriter with paper protruding from it, with a lamp on the desk and a poster containing a map of Australia on the wall behind the desk, with the poster partially obscured by the clerk and typewriter. Partially obscured by the telegraphist, mechanic and propellors, there are representations of “AWAS”, “WRAN” and “WAAAF” in Morse code. There are coloured shapes representing the uniform colours of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, including a yellow-coloured circle and dark blue- and light blue- coloured oblongs, with the oblongs partially obscured by the rim of the coin. The design also includes the following inscriptions: “WOMEN’S SERVICES”; “1941”; and “AB” (being the initials of the designer A. Baggio) in a stylised form. The ‘envelope’ privy mark coin also includes a stylised representation of an envelope.
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”.
2027 20c Proof Coin – Australian Commemorative Coins Centenary
2027 20c Uncirculated Coin – Australian Commemorative Coins Centenary
2027 $1 Silver Proof Coin – Australian Commemorative Coins Centenary
The design on the 2027 20c coins – Australian Commemorative Coins Centenary, replicating the original 1927 Canberra florin designed by George Kruger Gray, consists of a pattern of one hundred stylised coins forming a border immediately inside the rim of the coin. Enclosed by the border, at the top of the coin, there is an ornamental scroll enclosing a representation of Old Parliament House in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. Below the ornamental scroll, there is a representation of two crossed maces which is partially obscured by another ornamental scroll bearing the inscription “1927”. Immediately inside the border, there are two stars and two dots. The design also includes the following inscriptions: “AUSTRALIAN COMMEMORATIVE COINS”; “1927-2027”; and “K.G.” (in a stylised form and being the initials of the designer George Kruger Gray).
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”, 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 Dan Thorne “DT”.