Stop Everything: There’s A New Image Of The Queen On Our Coins
She has shoulders!
Breaking coin news: The Royal Australian Mint has unveiled a new effigy of Queen Elizabeth II that will adorn the back of our new coins from next year, and she’s got shoulders!
The Mint is calling it a “new era of coinage in Australia”, which is nice.
Along with the shoulders, the new effigy appears noticeably older than the previous one, which makes sense since the last one was designed in 1998. It’s the first time the coins have been changed in 20 years, and only the sixth time since the queen’s coronation in 1952.
The new designs were officially unveiled by Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove in a ceremony in Canberra this morning. Today’s release is a commemorative coin to celebrate the new effigy, which you can buy here. The new effigy will enter into general circulation in 2019, continuing into 2020.
Australia will be the first Commonwealth country to adopt the new effigy, which was designed by Jody Clarke from the British Mint.
Here’s a side-by-side look at the two effigies.
