Stuart Devlin designed the reverse of all Australian decimal coins issued in 1966, including the 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent coins.
Other than for Commemorative coins, the same designs are still used on the current 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent coins.
Queen Elizabeth II has appeared on the obverse of all Australian decimal coins to date.
Arnold Machin designed the Queen Elizabeth II portrait used from 1966 to 1984.
Raphael Maklouf designed the Queen Elizabeth II portrait used from 1985 to 1998.
Ian Rank-Broadley designed the Queen Elizabeth II portrait used from 1999 to present.
Decimal Currency commenced in Australia on the 14th of February, 1966, the day the 1 cent coin became the basic unit of our currency. The coins were actually minted in 1965 in the Melbourne, Perth and Sydney Mints. Coins minted for the release of Australia's decimal currency included the 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent coins.
Old currency is returned to the banks, the banks return it to the mint where it is melted down and sometimes used for making new coins.
The British predecimal Halfpenny, Penny, Threepence and Sixpence did not have an equivalent coin in decimal currency.
Decimal currency was officially introduced in Britain on "Decimal Day" the 15th of February, 1971, with the Half New Penny, 1 New Penny and 2 New Pence coins being issued. The 5 and 10 New Pence coins had been introduced much earlier in April, 1968, and the 50 New Pence coins were introduced in October, 1969. The new currency consisting of 100 Pence to the Pound replaced the old currency of Pounds, Shillings and Pence. 12 Pence to the Shilling, and 20 Shillings to the Pound.
The original Australian decimal coins were designed by Stuart Devlin and mostly produced by the Royal Australian Mint Canberra.
Nowadays the currencies of most countries consist of a currency unit that is divided into 100 smaller currency units. The larger units are often notes and the smaller units are almost always coins. So, the coins represent parts of 100. In most cases there are coins of 10 subunits, and sometimes 1s as well. The coins of value 1 and 10 form the basis of a system of counting in tens and that is all that the decimal system is.
Coins and notes are used as currency in Ireland.
The Australian 2 cent coin was introduced at the changeover to decimal currency in 1966. There were no Australian "cent" coins minted prior to 1966.
Queen Elizabeth II first appeared on Australian coins in the year of her Coronation in 1953. Pictures of the reigning Monarch are changed every 15 to 20 years. The original portrait, designed by Mary Gillick, commenced from 1953 with the first issue of Australian Queen Elizabeth II pre-decimal coins, and lasted until decimal currency was introduced in 1966. The second portrait, designed by Arnold Machin, commenced from 1966 with the first issue of Australian Queen Elizabeth II decimal coins, and lasted until 1984. The third portrait, designed by Raphael Maklouf, commenced from 1985 and lasted until 1998. The fourth portrait, designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, commenced from 1999 and is still being used.
Old currency is returned to the banks, the banks return it to the mint or other issuing authority, where it is melted down and sometimes used for making new coins.
On the 14th of February, 1966, decimal currency was introduced in Australia and the Pounds, Shillings and Pence were progressively withdrawn. The bank notes were destroyed and the coins melted down.
Old currency is returned to the banks, the banks return it to the mint or other issuing authority, where it is melted down and sometimes used for making new coins.