Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2009 (No. 4)

Administered by Department of the Treasury

Legislation au F2009L02540 In force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Under subsection 13A (1) of the Currency Act 1965, the Assistant Treasurer has made a determination regarding the specification 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).

Item 1

 

$5 Coin

(2010 Fine Silver $5 Proof S.25 Sandringham Coin – Masterpieces in Silver)

 

The reverse design features a representation of two aeroplane windows, with one framing a representation of a S.25 Sandringham aeroplane flying to the right. The other window is partially obscured by another representation of a larger S.25 Sandringham aeroplane facing left.

 

The design also features the inscriptions ‘AVIATION HISTORY – S.25 SANDRINGHAM’, ‘5 DOLLARS’ and the coin designer’s mark resembling the letters ‘WP’.

 

This coin and its design have been endorsed by the Visual Communications Manager at Bombardier Aerospace which owns the copyrights to the Aircraft. The Royal Australian Mint received this written endorsement on the 13th of February 2009.

 

The obverse design consists of an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II and the initials IRB. This is surrounded by the inscriptions ‘ELIZABETH II’ and ‘AUSTRALIA 2010’.

 

Total mintage for these coins is 10,000. 7,000 of which will be packed as a 2 coin set with item 2, the 2010 Boeing 747 Masterpieces in Silver coin.

 

The remaining 3,000 coins will be reserved for the Masterpieces in Silver 6 coin aviation set which launched in 2008. This set will include the 2008 Avro 504K and Airbus A380 coins, the 2009 Constellation L749 and De Havilland DH 86 coins, and the 2010 S.25 Sandringham and Boeing 747 coins.

Item 2

 

$5 Coin

(2010 Fine Silver $5 Proof Boeing 747 Coin – Masterpieces in Silver)

 

The reverse design features a representation of an aeroplane window framing a representation of a Boeing 747 aeroplane flying to the left. This window is partially obscured by another representation of a larger Boeing 747 aeroplane facing right.

 

The design also features the inscriptions ‘AVIATION HISTORY – BOEING 747’, ‘5 DOLLARS’ and the coin designer’s mark resembling the letters ‘WP’.

 

This coin and its design have been endorsed by the Manager of Trademark and Product Standards for Boeing Intellectual Property Management. The Royal Australian Mint received this written endorsement on the 26th of February 2009.

 

The obverse design consists of an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II and the initials IRB. This is surrounded by the inscriptions ‘ELIZABETH II’ and ‘AUSTRALIA 2010’.

 

Total mintage for these coins is 10,000. 7,000 of which will be packed as a 2 coin set with item 1; the 2010 S.25 Sandringham Masterpieces in Silver coin.

 

The remaining 3,000 coins will be reserved for the Masterpieces in Silver 6 coin aviation set which launched in 2008. This set will include the 2008 Avro 504K and Airbus A380 coins, the 2009 Constellation L749 and De Havilland DH 86 coins, and the 2010 S.25 Sandringham and Boeing 747 coins.

 

Item 3

 

$1 Coin

(2010 Fine Silver $1 Proof Year of the Tiger Pamp Coin)

The reverse design features a representation of a tiger in the centre of the coin surrounded by a representation of two phoenixes facing one another. Above the two phoenixes are two rectangle shapes featuring Chinese letters which translate in English to ‘Year of the Tiger’. The reverse coin design also includes the inscriptions ‘1 DOLLAR’ and ‘1oz.999 silver’.

The coin design has been provided to the Royal Australian Mint by the customer Pamp Shanghai. Pamp Shanghai signed a contract on 19 March 2009 granting a non-exclusive, irrevocable license to the Royal Australian Mint to use the coin design. The contract also stated that they represent and warrant that the coin designs will not infringe any intellectual property rights of any party. 

The obverse design consists of an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II and the initials IRB. This is surrounded by the inscriptions ‘ELIZABETH II’ and ‘AUSTRALIA 2010’.

The total mintage for the coin is 30,000 units.

 

Item 4

 

$10 Coin

(2010 Gold $10 Proof Year of the Tiger Pamp Coin)

 

The reverse design features a representation of a tiger in the centre of the coin surrounded by a representation of two phoenixes facing one another. Above the two phoenixes are two rectangle shapes featuring Chinese letters which translate in English to ‘Year of the Tiger’. The reverse coin design also includes the inscriptions ‘10 DOLLARS’ and ‘1/10 oz.9999Au’.

The coin design has been provided to the Royal Australian Mint by the customer Pamp Shanghai. Pamp Shanghai signed a contract on 19 March 2009 granting a non-exclusive, irrevocable license to the Royal Australian Mint to use the coin design. The contract also stated that they represent and warrant that the coin designs will not infringe any intellectual property rights of any party. 

The obverse design consists of an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II and the initials IRB. This is surrounded by the inscriptions ‘ELIZABETH II’ and ‘AUSTRALIA 2010’.

The total mintage for the coin is 10,000 units.

 

Item 5

 

$25 Coin

(2010 Gold $25 Proof Year of the Tiger Pamp Coin)

 

The reverse design features a representation of a tiger in the centre of the coin surrounded by a representation of two phoenixes facing one another. Above the two phoenixes are two rectangle shapes featuring Chinese letters which translate in English to ‘Year of the Tiger’. The reverse coin design also includes the inscriptions ‘25 DOLLARS’ and ‘1/2 oz.9999Au’.

The coin design has been provided to the Royal Australian Mint by the customer Pamp Shanghai. Pamp Shanghai signed a contract on 19 March 2009, granting a non-exclusive, irrevocable license to the Royal Australian Mint to use the coin design. The contract also stated that they represent and warrant that the coin designs will not infringe any intellectual property rights of any party. 

The obverse design consists of an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II and the initials IRB. This is surrounded by the inscriptions ‘ELIZABETH II’ and ‘AUSTRALIA 2010’.

The total mintage for the coin is 3,800 units.

 

Item 6

 

$5 Coin

(2009 Silver $5 Proof First Post Office Australia Post Coin)

 

The reverse design features a pad printed image of the first post office, Isaac Nichol’s Sydney house where he became Australia’s first Postmaster of New South Wales in 1809. The reverse design also features the inscription ‘200 Years of Postal Services in Australia’.

 

The coin design has been provided to the Royal Australian Mint by the customer Australian Postal Corporation. Australian Postal Corporation signed a contract on 6 May 2009 granting and exclusive licence to the Royal Australian Mint to use the coin design. The contract also stated that they represent and warrant that the coin designs will not infringe any intellectual property rights of any party. 

The obverse design consists of an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II and the initials IRB. This is surrounded by the inscriptions ‘ELIZABETH II’, ‘AUSTRALIA 2009’ and ‘5 DOLLARS’.

The total mintage for the coin is 10,000 units.

 

Item 7

 

$5 Coin

(2009           Silver Proof Coin – International Year of Astronomy)

The reverse design features  stylised representations of four figures placed at quarter intervals around the coin, looking towards the centre of the coin and the inscriptions ‘INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY’ and the year ‘2009’.

Inside these inscriptions and between each of the skygazing figures are artist’s impressions of these landmarks; the Taj Mahal in India, Mount Fuji in Japan, the Australian Parliament House, the Sydney Opera House, Uluru in Australia, a radio telescope at Parkes Observatory in Australia, a Moai statue on Easter Island, a Mesoamerican pyramid in Mexico, the Golden Gate Bridge in the United States of America, the Statue of Liberty in the United States of America, Stonehenge in the United Kingdom, the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, the Eiffel Tower in France, and Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Russia.

The obverse design features a stylised representation of the solar system, with an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II superimposed on the representation. The inscriptions ‘ELIZABETH II’, ‘AUSTRALIA 2009’, and ‘5 DOLLARS’.

This coin is part of the International Year of Astronomy series that began with the release of the RAM’s annual year set products in November 2008. Presented in annular format the vacant space at the centre of the coin will be occupied by a small blister containing approximately 1.5 – 2 grams of meteorite fragments. The meteorite material was purchased from a mineral dealer based in Sydney. The mintage of this product is limited to 10,000.

 

 

Public Consultation

 

No public consultation was undertaken in relation to the currency determination as it has limited public interest and the design of the coins is based on the commercial decisions of the Royal Australian Mint.

Overview

The Currency Act 1965, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, governs the issuance and circulation of currency in Australia. The Act was introduced to ensure a stable and reliable monetary system in Australia, addressing issues related to the creation, management, and circulation of currency. Under subsection 13A(1) of this Act, the Assistant Treasurer has the authority to make determinations regarding the specifications of coins proposed to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint. This authority includes detailing the coins' characteristics such as standard composition, weight, allowable variation, design, and dimensions. The determinations are subject to disallowance under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. The policy objective behind these determinations is to maintain the integrity and reliability of the nation's currency while allowing for the issuance of commemorative coins that reflect significant cultural and historical events. In 2009, the Assistant Treasurer made several determinations under the Currency Act, specifying the details of various commemorative coins to be issued. These coins, including $5 fine silver proof coins featuring the S.25 Sandringham and Boeing 747 aeroplanes, $1 and $10 fine silver and gold proof coins celebrating the Year of the Tiger, and $5 silver proof coins commemorating the first post office and the International Year of Astronomy, were designed to reflect significant events and landmarks. These coins were endorsed by relevant authorities, ensuring their designs did not infringe on intellectual property rights, and were intended for limited mintage, with some coins being part of larger sets or series.

Scope and Application

Under the Currency Act 1965, the Assistant Treasurer has authority to determine the specifications of coins to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint, as per subsection 13A(1). This determination includes details such as the coins' composition, weight, allowable variations, design, and dimensions. This legislative instrument is subject to disallowance under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. The coins specified in this determination are of limited public interest, and their design is based on commercial decisions by the Royal Australian Mint. These coins include various commemorative designs, such as those celebrating aviation history, the Year of the Tiger, postal services, and the International Year of Astronomy. The coins are minted in different materials and denominations, and their designs are endorsed by the respective copyright or intellectual property owners. The coins are subject to specific mintage limits and packaging configurations. The application of this determination is limited to the specification of coins proposed to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint, with no broader application to other entities, industries, conduct, or transactions. It applies within the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Australia and is not subject to state or territory-specific legislation. There are no stated exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds in this determination. The scope of application may be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments, such as regulations or guidelines issued under the Currency Act 1965 or other relevant legislation.

Key Provisions

The key provisions of the determination under subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965 (subsection 13(6) and 13A(4), and section 57 of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003) pertain to the specific characteristics of the coins to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint. This includes details such as the coins' standard composition, standard weight, allowable variation from standard weight, design, and dimensions. These details must be provided in the determination, which is a disallowable instrument. The coins in question include a range of commemorative coins, each with unique designs and mintage details, such as the 2010 Fine Silver $5 Proof S.25 Sandringham Coin, the 2010 Fine Silver $5 Proof Boeing 747 Coin, and various other coins celebrating significant aviation history and the Year of the Tiger. The Act imposes certain obligations on the parties involved, primarily the Royal Australian Mint. The Mint must ensure that the coins meet the specified characteristics outlined in the determination. This includes obtaining endorsements for the designs from the copyright or intellectual property owners and ensuring that the designs do not infringe on any intellectual property rights. The Mint is also responsible for producing the coins according to the agreed mintage limits and specifications. Breach of the requirements set out in the determination can result in various consequences. While the determination itself does not specify particular offences, penalties, or consequences for non-compliance, general provisions of the Currency Act 1965 and other related legislation could apply. Violating the specifications could lead to legal actions for misrepresentation, fraud, or counterfeiting, which are serious offences under Australian law. Additionally, any infringement of intellectual property rights could result in civil actions for damages or injunctions, as well as potential criminal penalties depending on the severity and intent of the infringement.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.