Under subsection 13A (1) of the Currency Act 1965, the Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law has made a determination regarding the specification of a number of coins proposed to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint.

Subsection 13A (1) of the Currency Act 1965 requires that the determination provides details of the coins characteristics including standard composition, standard weight, allowable variation from standard weight, design and dimensions.

This determination is a disallowable instrument for the purposes of section 42 of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 (Subsection 13(6) and 13A(4) of the Currency Act 1965, Section 57 of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003).

The determination commences on the day after it is registered.

Item 1   2009 $1 Uncirculated Lunar Year of the Ox

Item 2  2009 $1 Silver Proof Lunar Year of the Ox

Item 3  2009 $10 Gold Proof Lunar Year of the Ox

Common Reverse design – A design consisting of a circle enclosing a representation of an Ox and a designer’s mark resembling a ‘G’; to the left of the circle – a representation of a flame; and to the right of the circle – a character in traditional Chinese script meaning ‘ox’; in four sectors of the coin – identical design elements incorporating the representation of a flame and the inscriptions: “2009” and “YEAR OF THE OX”.

Obverse

Consistent with all Australian legal tender coinage, the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley, together with the year 2009, will appear on the obverse side of the coins (items 1 - 3).

Public consultation

The coins covered in the determination are part of the Mint’s annual collector coin program and stakeholder consultation was undertaken to ensure appropriate themes and designs were chosen for this program.  However, no public consultation was undertaken in respect of the actual specifications of this coin as they do not have a direct, or a substantially indirect, effect on business, nor do they restrict competition.