Australian five-cent coin

Production:

The Australian two-cent coin was first introduced with decimal currency on February 14, 1966. The coin featured the original reverse design of a frill-necked lizard, which has remained unchanged since its introduction.

In its first year of minting, the coin was produced at three different mints: the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra, the Royal Mint Melbourne branch, and the Royal Mint Perth branch. The production figures for the first year were 145.2 million at the Royal Australian Mint, 66.6 million at the Melbourne Mint, and 217.7 million at the Perth Mint..

The two-cent coin was the last circulating coin for Australia struck outside the Royal Australian Mint. The only year that the coins were minted outside Australia was in 1981, when 70.8 million were struck at the British Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Wales, in addition to 97.4 million from Canberra and 81.8 million from Perth.

The cessation of issue of one and two-cent coins was announced by the Treasurer in his Budget Speech of August 21, 1990. The decision was based on the loss of real purchasing power through inflation and the cost of minting these coins. Both coins were withdrawn from circulation commencing in February 1992. However, they continue to be legal tender and can still be used to purchase goods or be deposited with financial institutions.

The last year of minting was 1989, and no two-cent coins were produced in 1986 or 1987. After their removal from circulation, some of the coins were melted down to make bronze medals for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Production: The Australian two-cent coin was first introduced with decimal currency on February 14, 1966. The coin featured the original reverse design of a frill-necked lizard, which has remained unchanged since its introduction. In its first year of minting, the coin was produced at three different mints: the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra, the Royal Mint Melbourne branch, and the Royal Mint Perth branch. The production figures for the first year were 145.2 million at the Royal Australian Mint, 66.6 million at the Melbourne Mint, and 217.7 million at the Perth Mint. The two-cent coin was the last circulating coin for Australia struck outside the Royal Australian Mint. The only year that the coins were minted outside Australia was in 1981, when 70.8 million were struck at the British Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Wales, in addition to 97.4 million from Canberra and 81.8 million from Perth. The cessation of issue of one and two-cent coins was announced by the Treasurer in his Budget Speech of August 21, 1990. The decision was based on the loss of real purchasing power through inflation and the cost of minting these coins. Both coins were withdrawn from circulation commencing in February 1992. However, they continue to be legal tender and can still be used to purchase goods or be deposited with financial institutions. The last year of minting was 1989, and no two-cent coins were produced in 1986 or 1987. After their removal from circulation, some of the coins were melted down to make bronze medals for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.


Value	Mass	Diameter	Edge	Composition
$0.05 AUD	2.83 g	19.41 mm	Milled	76% copper 25% nickel
Obverse	Design	Designer	Design date
	Elizabeth II	Arnold Machin	1966-1984
	Elizabeth II	Raphael Maklouf	1985-1998
	Elizabeth II	Ian Rank-Broadley	1999-2015 2017-2019
	Elizabeth II and Reproduction of 1953-1964 One Penny	Ian Rank-Broadley	2016
	Elizabeth II	Jody Clark	2019-2023
	Elizabeth II Special Memorial	Jody Clark	2023
	Charles III	Dan Thorne	2024-Present
Reverse	Design	Designer	Design date
	Short beaked Echidna	Stuart Devlin	1966-Present


RAM = Royal Australian Mint, RMM = Royal Melbourne Mint, RPM = Royal Perth Mint, PM = Perth Mint, RMLL = Royal Mint Llantrisant


Mintage year	1974	1974	1975	1975	1976	1976	1977	1977	1978	1978	1979
Mintage (Mil)	91.7	86.0	33.1	67.0	71.9	50.0	88.7	30.0	88.7	40.0	29.7
Mint	RAM	PM	RAM	PM	RAM	PM	RAM	PM	RAM	PM	RAM


Mintage year	1979	1980	1980	1981	1981	1981	1982	1982	1983	1983	1984
Mintage (Mil)	40.0	105.6	40.0	97.4	81.8	70.8	81.3	40.4	156.6	20.7	50.8
Mint	PM	RAM	PM	RAM	PM	RMLL	RAM	PM	RAM	PM	RAM


Mintage year	1985	1988	1989
Mintage (Mil)	32.6	28.9	124.5
Mint	RAM	RAM	RAM


RAM = Royal Australian Mint, RMM = Royal Melbourne Mint, RPM = Royal Perth Mint, PM = Perth Mint, RMLL = Royal Mint Llantrisant

Mint Marks:

Mint marks on the Australian 1966 two-cent coin provide a fascinating insight into its production history. These marks, discernible by examining the front feet of the frill-necked lizard depicted on the coin, indicate the mint of manufacture. Specifically, a blunted rightmost claw on the front right foot signifies a Perth minting, while a blunted second claw from the right on the left foot indicates a Melbourne minting. The absence of blunted claws suggests a Canberra minting. This unique identification system underscores the intricate details of coin minting and adds a layer of intrigue for collectors and historians alike.

There are no observable mint marks on the 1981 coin, both the Perth and Llantrisant mints distribute their coins in mint bags and the Canberran mint distriblted their coins in rolls.