Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 1) 2019

Administered by Department of the Treasury

Legislation au F2019L00217 Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Issued by authority of the Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance

Currency Act 1965

Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 1) 2019

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 two new collector 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 Interpretations 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 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.

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 Policy.  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 (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 1) 2019

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 two new collector 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 (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 1) 2019

This Attachment sets out further details of the Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 1) 2019 (the Determination).

Section 1 – Name

This section specifies the name of the Determination is the Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 1) 2019.

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 – Definitions

This section provides definitions for the purposes of the Determination.

Sections 5 and 6 – Coin characteristics

These sections provide that the coin characteristics set out in Schedule 1 are taken to be specified in the Schedule to the Currency Act 1965.  The Treasurer may authorise the making and issuing coins specified, or taken to be specified by currency determinations, 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.

Schedule 1 – Standard composition, standard weight, design and dimensions of coins of specified denominations

Schedule 1 sets out the details of new coin characteristics.  The newly determined coins characteristics are set out below.

$1 Silver Coin – Mob of Roos – Merlion Privy Mark

A stylised representation of 5 kangaroos and the inscription “1 DOLLAR”. The design includes a representation of a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish, known officially as the Singaporean Merlion, enclosed by a square.

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

$5 Silver Domed Coin – 50th Anniversary of the Lunar Landing

A lunar landscape including a stylised representation of the surface of the moon, an astronaut, footprints and the Apollo 11 lunar capsule with a curved stripe emanating from that capsule. The design includes a coloured representation of the planet Earth positioned over a curved stripe. The words “50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LUNAR LANDING” are superimposed on a curved stripe. The design also includes the inscription “1 oz .999 Ag” and the initials of the designer Adam William Ball ‘AWB’.

Consistent with all Australian legal tender coinage, an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will appear on the obverse side of the coin. The effigy, together with the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II”, “AUSTRALIA 2019” and the initials of the designer Ian Rank-Broadley ‘IRB’ are positioned at the bottom of the face of the coin and enclosed by a circle. In the background and enclosed by a circle, there is a partially obscured representation of a transcript. The design includes a representation of the moon and a representation of the Parkes radio telescope. The telescope is positioned on a stylised representation of a part of the Earth. The design also includes the inscription “FIVE DOLLARS” and the initials of the designer Adam William Ball ‘AWB’.

Overview

The Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 1) 2019 was enacted to provide the Treasurer with the authority to determine the characteristics of Australian coins, in line with subsection 13(2) and section 13A of the Currency Act 1965. This legislation, issued by the Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance, aims to address the need for the Royal Australian Mint to produce new collector coins, thereby enabling the continuation of both circulating and numismatic coin production. The enactment of this instrument by the Parliament is intended to facilitate the creation and issuing of coins that meet the specified characteristics, ensuring they are legal tender as per the Currency Act 1965. This legislative instrument began its operation on the day following its registration on the Federal Register of Legislation and can be subject to disallowance under the Legislation Act 2003.

Scope and Application

The Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 1) 2019 applies to the Royal Australian Mint, the entity responsible for the production of Australian coins, as it specifies the characteristics of two new collector coins intended to be issued. This legislative instrument is an extension of the Currency Act 1965, which empowers the Treasurer to determine the details of Australian coin characteristics. It operates within the Commonwealth jurisdiction, thus impacting all entities and individuals involved in the production and circulation of Australian currency throughout the country. The instrument itself is subject to disallowance under the Legislation Act 2003 and commenced on the day after its registration on the Federal Register of Legislation. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions within the scope of this determination, but it does note that any Minister in the Treasury portfolio can determine coin characteristics via legislative instruments, allowing for flexibility and potential future amendments.

Key Provisions

The Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 1) 2019 specifies the characteristics of two new collector coins to be issued by the Royal Australian Mint (sections 5 and 6). This determination, made under the Currency Act 1965, includes details such as the denomination, standard composition, standard weight, allowable variation from standard weight, design, and dimensions of the coins. The coins include a $1 Silver Coin featuring a mob of roos and a Merlion privy mark, and a $5 Silver Domed Coin commemorating the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing. These characteristics are set out in Schedule 1 to the Determination and are considered specified in the Schedule to the Currency Act 1965. The Act imposes certain obligations on the Royal Australian Mint and the Treasurer regarding the issuance of these coins. The Treasurer, under section 13A of the Currency Act 1965, is authorised to determine the coin characteristics, which the Royal Australian Mint must then adhere to in the production of the coins. The Mint must ensure that the coins meet the specified standards in terms of composition, weight, and design. The Treasurer's authority to issue these coins is also outlined in section 13(2) of the Act. Furthermore, any Minister in the Treasury portfolio can determine coin characteristics by legislative instrument, as per section 19 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901. There are no explicit offences, penalties, or consequences for breaches of the Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 1) 2019 itself within the provided text. However, under the Currency Act 1965, any coins not made and issued in accordance with the Act, or any legislative instrument made under it, would not be considered legal tender. Although the provided text does not specify penalties for such breaches, penalties for offences under the Currency Act 1965 can include fines and imprisonment, with the exact penalties varying depending on the specific offence. The legislative instrument is subject to disallowance under section 42 of the Legislation Act 2003, which provides a mechanism for the annulment of the instrument if deemed necessary.

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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.