Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2015 (No. 2)

Administered by Department of the Treasury

Legislation au F2015L00169 In force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Explanatory Statement

 

Currency Act 1965

 

Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2015 (No. 2)

 

Under paragraph 13(2)(b) and subsection 13A (1) of the Currency Act 1965, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Kelly O’Dwyer, has made a determination regarding the specification of coins proposed to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint.

Paragraph 13(2)(b) and subsection 13A (1)  of the Currency Act 1965 require that the determination provides details of the coins’ denomination and 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.

 

Item 1

$1 AlBr Coloured Coin – War Heroes

 

Reverse

A stylised representation of a red flower in the centre of the design. The design includes stylised representations of flowers in the background and stylised representations of the contour of flowers in the foreground. A series of raised beads and stylised representations of a flower are arranged in a repetitive pattern inside the rim of the coin. The design also includes the inscriptions ‘1 DOLLAR’ and ‘WWI-WAR HEROES’.

 

Obverse

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’, ‘AUSTRALIA’ and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Ian Rank-Broadley ‘IRB’.

Item 2

20c CuNi Coin – Magna Carta

 

Reverse

A central circle containing a stylised representation of King John’s seal and the inscriptions ‘20’, ‘1215-2015’ and ‘MAGNA CARTA’. Surrounding the central circle are the inscriptions the inscriptions ‘IOhᾹNNԐS’, ‘DЄI’, ‘GRᾹCIᾹ’, ‘ᾹNGLIЄ’ and  ‘DOMINVS’, each followed by 3 dots positioned in a vertical line. The design also includes the inscription ‘ҺIBЄRNIЄ’ followed by a representation of a cross.

 

Obverse

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’, ‘AUSTRALIA’ and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Ian Rank-Broadley ‘IRB’.

Item 3

50c CuNi Gold Plated Coin – 50th Anniversary of the Opening of the Royal Australian Mint

 

Reverse

A gold plated representation of the arms of the Commonwealth. The design includes the number ‘50’ and the initials of the designer Stuart Devlin ‘SD’.

 

Obverse

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’, ‘AUSTRALIA’ and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Ian Rank-Broadley ‘IRB’.

Item 4

$1 AlBr Coloured Coin – Unlikely Heroes Great and Small Murphy the Donkey  

 

Reverse

The design features a representation of a donkey wearing a band featuring a cross on its forehead. The design includes a representation of a cross containing the number ‘1915’. In the background, and partially obscured by the donkey and cross are a central circle and an ornamental border comprising a stylised coloured representation of soil and foliage.

 

Obverse

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’, 2 representations of a dot and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Ian Rank-Broadley ‘IRB’ and Arabic numerals for the amount, in dollars, of the denomination of the coin, followed by the inscription ‘DOLLAR’, or ‘DOLLARS’ as the case requires.

Item 5

$1 AlBr Coloured Coin – Unlikely Heroes Great and Small Feline Mascot of the HMAS Encounter  

 

Reverse

A stylised coloured representation of a barometer, including the numbers ‘5’, ‘29’, ‘5’, ‘30’, ‘1000’, ‘1’, ‘950’, ‘960’, ‘970’, ‘980’, ‘990’, ‘1000’, ‘1010’ and ‘1020’. In the foreground and partially obscuring the barometer is a stylised representation of a gun containing the following a stylised representation of a cat. The gun contains the inscriptions ‘V’, ‘S’, ‘M’, ‘TEEL’ and ‘12149’ in micro-print.

 

Obverse

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’, 2 representations of a dot and the inscription, in numerals, of a year. The obverse design includes the initials of the designer Ian Rank-Broadley ‘IRB’ and Arabic numerals for the amount, in dollars, of the denomination of the coin, followed by the inscription ‘DOLLAR’, or ‘DOLLARS’ as the case requires.

 

 

Consultation


No public consultation was undertaken in relation to the currency determination. The effect of this instrument is to determine the denomination, weight, design and dimension of coins to enable the Royal Australian Mint to continue its production of circulating and numismatic coins. The Mint receives public submissions on coin designs and determines appropriate designs in accordance with its Coin Design Policy. The Mint used market based tools to identify interested parties and gauge interest in coin themes.

 

 

 

 

Commencement


The determination commences on the day after it is registered.

 

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights


This 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. The purpose of the Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2015 (No. 2) is to determine the denomination, weight, design and dimension of circulating and numismatic coins. This instrument does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms. This instrument is compatible with human rights as it does not raise any human rights issues. This determination has been made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Kelly O’Dwyer, in accordance with paragraph 13(2)(b) and subsection 13A (1) of the Currency Act 1965.

 

 

Overview

The Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2015 (No. 2) was enacted under the Currency Act 1965, and addresses the specification of coins proposed to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint. This determination was made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Kelly O’Dwyer, and is intended to provide details of the coins’ denomination and characteristics, including standard composition, standard weight, allowable variation from standard weight, design and dimensions, in accordance with paragraphs 13(2)(b) and 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965. The policy objective of this determination is to enable the Royal Australian Mint to continue its production of circulating and numismatic coins.

Scope and Application

The Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2015 (No. 2) applies to the Royal Australian Mint and its operations, specifically in relation to the specification of coins that the Mint proposes to issue. This includes setting out the details of the coins' denomination, weight, design, and dimensions, as mandated by the Currency Act 1965. The determination applies nationally across Australia, as it concerns the issuance of legal tender and numismatic coins, which are subject to Commonwealth law. The determination does not specify any exclusions or exemptions, nor does it set thresholds; instead, it provides detailed specifications for each coin, which must be adhered to by the Mint. This instrument can be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments under the authority of the Currency Act 1965, allowing for adjustments in the specifications of future coin issues. The determination is a disallowable instrument, meaning it can be reviewed and potentially disallowed by Parliament, in line with the requirements of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.

Key Provisions

The Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination 2015 (No. 2) outlines the specifications of coins to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint. Under sections 13(2)(b) and 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965, this determination specifies the coins' denomination, standard composition, standard weight, allowable variation from standard weight, design, and dimensions. For example, the $1 AlBr Coloured Coin – War Heroes has a reverse design featuring a stylised red flower with inscriptions ‘1 DOLLAR’ and ‘WWI-WAR HEROES’, while the obverse side includes an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and inscriptions ‘ELIZABETH II’, ‘AUSTRALIA’, and a year. Similar details are provided for the other coins, including the 20c CuNi Coin – Magna Carta, the 50c CuNi Gold Plated Coin – 50th Anniversary of the Opening of the Royal Australian Mint, and the $1 AlBr Coloured Coins – Unlikely Heroes Great and Small featuring Murphy the Donkey and the Feline Mascot of the HMAS Encounter. This Act imposes specific obligations on the Royal Australian Mint to adhere to the detailed specifications provided in the determination when producing the coins. This includes ensuring that the coins meet the standard composition, weight, and design criteria as outlined. The Mint must also comply with any additional requirements stipulated in the Currency Act 1965, such as the inclusion of the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse side of all coins. Furthermore, the Mint is responsible for ensuring that the coins are produced in accordance with the set dimensions and that any variations from the standard weight are within the allowable limits. Breach of the specifications or failure to comply with the requirements set out in this determination can lead to legal consequences. While the determination itself does not specify penalties, violations of the Currency Act 1965 can result in substantial fines and imprisonment. For instance, under section 13D of the Currency Act 1965, counterfeiting or making imitations of legal tender coins can attract a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. Additionally, the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 provides that this determination is a disallowable instrument, meaning it can be subject to review and potential disallowance by Parliament. This adds an additional layer of accountability and oversight to ensure compliance with the specified standards and legal requirements.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Commercial Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Regulatory Standards
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Catchwords
Specification of coins

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

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.