Explanatory Statement
Currency Act 1965
Currency (Royal Australian Mint) Determination (No. 3) 2017
Under paragraph 13(2)(b) and subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965, the Minister for Small Business 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. Each item in the table below explains a corresponding item in Part 1 of Schedule 1 to this determination.
Item 1 | 1c Copper, Tin and Zinc Coin – Possum Magic
Reverse The design features a cartoon representation of a possum sitting and reading a book. That possum is the Hush character from the book “Possum Magic”. The design also includes the number “1”.
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 | 50c Copper and Nickel Coin – Year of the Dog
Reverse In the background there is a representation of a mountainous landscape positioned above a curved line. In the foreground there is a representation of a dog sitting on a rock and facing right. The design includes the Chinese character pronounced ‘gou’ under the Pinyin system and meaning dog. The design also includes the initials of the designer Stevan Michael Stojanovic ‘SMS’ and the number ‘50’
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’. |
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 (No. 3) 2017 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 Minister for Small Business, in accordance with paragraph 13(2)(b) and subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965.