The latest currency determination for the Royal Australian Mint has passed through parliament and gives us a sneak peak into what the upcoming releases of new legal tender coins will be. It doesn't mean the Mint will have to make these coins but it certainly tells us they might be. Here it is in a nutshell.
1. The 2014 Mint and Proof Sets look to carry a coloured and gold plated coin as they have done for the last 2 years. Next year (2014) we should see the mob of roos design 1 dollar as a gold plated coin in the proof set and as the coloured coin in the mint set. Of the 5 kangaroos in the design, just 3 of them will appear coloured or gold plated. It's also suggested the one dollar will be minted in copper nickel (cupro-nickel like a 10 cent coin) and not the copper-aluminium-nickel (aluminium bronze) we usually see this design struck in. Obviously gold plating wouldn't stand out on an already gold looking planchet so a different planchet composition is needed. This might be a show-stopper!
2. Later this year we'll see a second coin for the Australian Football League (AFL) Premiers with all teams included in the currency determination but as with 2012 only the winning team coin is likely to be struck. Again there will be the two very similar 1 dollar coins produced the same design as the 2012 coins but dated 2013.
3. The famed Australian racehorse Black Caviar has been so popular who could resist minting Tony Deans 1 ounce silver one dollar design in pure gold. This design struck on a planchet of half an ounce of gold will look stunning with a $50 legal tender value.
4. The Sydney Opera House will record it's 40th Anniversary on October 20th 2013 so a commemorative 1 dollar coin for this occasion is in the pipeline. The Opera House was inscribed onto the World Heritage Sites list in 2007 by UNESCO and is an iconic form in the Sydney skyline and is an architectural masterpiece.
5. We'll see another round of coloured pad printed one dollar coin following this years Polar Animals series. The first two coins will depict a gorgeous Ulysses Butterfly and a Blow Fly complete with eggs, larvae and pupae (someone has to say it, yes sounds like maggots).
6. The mintmark, privymark and counterstamp 1 dollar design for 2014 will commemorate 200 years since "A Voyage to Terra Australis". Exploration of the great unknown southern continent was conducted by Matthew Finders from 1801-1810 who proved that Australia was a single land mass when he succeeded in circumnavigating the continent. A book of the same title was published in 1814 by Flinders. The coin design will depict Flinders' ship, the HMS Investigator, a representation of a compass and part of the map of Australia.
7. Military themes on coins are always popular with collectors and upcoming releases will be of interest. 100 years of ANZAC will appear on a 2014 dated aluminium bronze 1 dollar and we'll be celebrating this until 2018 so we're sure there'll be many more ANZAC themed releases of this kind over the next few years. Those who served in the Boer War from 1899 to 1902 will be remembered with a coloured 50 cent coin depicting a statue of a soldier riding a horse and the colours of the medals awarded to soldiers for their service in South Africa.
We've only touched on the more important parts of the currency determination. I guess we'll stay tuned for more news of how and when these coins will appear for collectors.
Posted by harrisk at July 26, 2013 3:08 PM
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