September 3, 2018
Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove has unveiled the new portrait of the Queen which will feature on all Australian coins from next year.
The new design was launched at the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra on Monday.
The portrait, which shows the Queen wearing the Victorian coronation necklace, was designed by UK engraver Jody Clark.
The inclusion of a portrait of the serving monarch on the obverse of Australian coins is mandated under the Currency Act 1965.
Since her coronation in 1953, five effigies of Her Majesty have appeared on Australian coins.
Previous effigies were designed by Mary Gillick (1953), Arnold Machin (1966) and Raphael Maklouf (1985).
Since 1998, all Australian coins have used an effigy by Ian Rank-Broadley, except the 2000 50c Royal Visit coin which used a portrait by Royal Australian Mint designer Vladimir Gottwald.
All the portraits of Her Majesty have faced to the right.
This follows a convention, said to have begun with Charles II (1660-1685), that a new monarch’s portrait should face in an opposite direction to that of their predecessor.
