By the early 1960's, the government had decided that Australia would have a decimal currency and that the designs on the coins and notes would have a uniquely Australian theme.
The Dollar was chosen as the unit of currency and there would be 100 cents in the Dollar.
The designer of the reverse of the initial range of coins was Stuart Devlin, and to reflect Australia he chose various indigenous animals.
All Australian decimal coins feature Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse.
The reverse of general circulation (non-commemorative) Australian Coins feature the following -
The 20 cent, 50 cent and One Dollar coins are often used as Commemoratives and will have non-standard reverse designs in some years.
Decimal currency was introduced in Australia on the 14th of February, 1966.
Stuart Leslie Devlin, the designer, is an Australian artist and goldsmith, born in Geelong; his designs feature an attractive perception of depth and movement. The platypus on the 20c coin is particularly evocative, seen swimming below the water's surface. Devlin's tiny initials can be found on each coin. Stuart Devlin later designed the standard non-commemorative One Dollar coin.
Horst Hahne designed the Two Dollar coin.
The link below, to the Royal Australian Mint, gives excellent representations of Australian currency, including the various fifty cent and one dollar reverses, which change regularly for commemorative and theme purposes.
Many different countries put their native animals on their coins. In Canada we have the bear, moose and loon.
Australia puts famous or historically significant Australian identities or scenes on its banknotes, and distinctive or definitive Australian animals on the reverse of most coins to make the coins and banknotes identifiably and uniquely Australian. There does not seem to be much point to featuring US Presidents, Brazilian animals, Russian statues or Chinese emblems on Australian coins and banknotes, since it would all become very confusing.
The Australian coins, the Australian anthem and the Australian notes.
The original Australian decimal coins were designed by Stuart Devlin and mostly produced by the Royal Australian Mint Canberra.
Nobody keeps a list, but it would be a fair bet that many thousands of coins are damaged either deliberately of accidentally each year. As coins are returned to the bank or the Royal Mint, staff weed out damaged or worn coins and recycle them.
Australian coins have not changed since last year. General circulation coins are - 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and $1 and $2 coins.
There are many places online that one can buy Australian coins as well as many local stores that one can visit. One of the most popular places that one can buy Australian coins is the Australian website perthmint.
The reigning British monarch is on the obverse of all Australian coins. Currently, it is Queen Elizabeth II.
None. It is illegal to deliberately damage, deface or otherwise mutilate Australian coins.
There were 4,337,200 Australian 1997 50 cent coins minted.
No.
All Australian coins feature the reigning Monarch on the obverse, currently Queen Elizabeth II since 1953. For the introduction of the Australian decimal currency in 1966, it was decided to have a uniquely Australian design for coins and most banknotes. See the links below to the Royal Australian Mint (RAM) and The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) for images of current Australian coins and banknotes.