Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver), Coin from Australia

Coin	Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver)

The 50 cent coin was first introduced with decimalisation on 14 February 1966. This original design featured the Commonwealth Coat of Arms struck in 80 per cent silver. Silver prices rose above the face value of the coin in 1967 and striking of the coin was suspended in March 1968. Although it was rumoured that the Royal Australian Mint had lost money on striking these coins, all metal used in the manufacture of the 36.5 million coins produced was purchased before the price rises.

Apart from the uneconomic cost of continuing the issue of the silver 50 cents, significant negative comment arose from confusion of the circular coin with the 20 cents. The decision to reissue a 50 cent coin considered not only a change to materials but also different shapes to help solve confusion with the 20 cents. A new shape and alloy was reintroduced into circulation in September 1969. These new dodecagonal (12-sided) coins have been used since.

The composition of the 1966 coins is 80% silver and 20% copper (0.3394 ASW). They are still legal tender, although in practice they do not circulate.

Mint	Royal Australian Mint	Mint Mark	No mint mark	Total Mintage	36,454,000 (36.5 million)

Obverse

The obverse of the coin shows the crowned and draped young bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Second Portrait", by Arnold Machin).

The Queen wears the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947 - which she also has on the Rank-Broadley and the Gottwald portraits.

Around, the monarch's legend and the date of issue: ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1966.

Obverse Inscription	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1966

Reverse

Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia, based on those authorised by Royal Warrant 19 September 1912 - composed of a shield divided into six parts, each containing a representation of the badge of a State. The shield is supported by a kangaroo and an emu. The shield sits on the denomination numerals, 50 [cents]; above the shield is the Federation star. The entire design is set above a field of stylized wattle leaves.

The artist's initials SD (for Stuart Devlin) in (very) tiny letters are in the field below the numerals.

Reverse Inscription	50

Edge	Milled	Edge Inscription	None

Included in Set
50.50 Two Coin Set, mintage 5,000, limited to 5,000 2 coins: 50 Cents 1966, 50 Cents 2015

See also

The coin type is sometimes re-issued as Non-Circulating Legal Tender (Collector coins), such as in 2006 in the 8-coin Fine Silver Proof 2006 Year Set marking 40 years of decimal currency.

Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver): Known varieties

Variety	In mint sets
Mintage	Issued: 67,250
Details	Brilliant Uncirculated coin in the Royal Australian Mint annual set.
In Set	Australian Decimal Coins (Six-Coin Set), mintage 67,250 6 coins: 50 Cents (silver), 20 Cents, 10 Cents, 5 Cents, 2 Cents, 1 Cent
Variety	Proof FDC
Images
Mintage	Issued: 18,054
In Set	Australian Decimal Coins - Six-Coin Proof Set, mintage 18,054 6 coins: 50 Cents (silver), 20 Cents, 10 Cents, 5 Cents, 2 Cents, 1 Cent

Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver): References to Information Used

Source	Edition	About	Link	Notes
Museums Victoria Collections	2016	Coin description	link
Royal Australian Mint	2016	Mint	link
Royal Australian Mint	2016	Mintage	link
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins	1971	Mintage		Circulation mintage
The Standard Australian Coin Catalogue	1975	Mintage		Circulation mintage
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins		Mintage		Proof mintage
Remick, Catalogue of British Commonwealth Coins	1971	Varieties		Proof
Museums Victoria Collections	2016	Varieties	link	Proof

All (82) coins of type: Fifty Cents

Coin Name	Mintage	Effigy	Legend
Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver)	36,454,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1966
Fifty Cents 1969	14,028,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1969
Fifty Cents 1970 James Cook	16,555,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1970
Fifty Cents 1971	21,066,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1971
Fifty Cents 1972	5,596,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1972
Fifty Cents 1973	4,019,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1973
Fifty Cents 1974	8,973,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1974
Fifty Cents 1975	19,048,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1975
Fifty Cents 1976	27,301,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1976
Fifty Cents 1977 Coat of Arms	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1977
Fifty Cents 1977 Silver Jubilee	25,131,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1977
Fifty Cents 1978	25,804,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1978
Fifty Cents 1978 Fiji Mule	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1978
Fifty Cents 1979	24,922,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1979
Fifty Cents 1980	38,749,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1980
Fifty Cents 1981	24,254,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1981
Fifty Cents 1981 Royal Wedding	20,000,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1981
Fifty Cents 1982 XII Commonwealth Games	49,600,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1982
Fifty Cents 1983	49,003,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1983
Fifty Cents 1984	26,342,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1984
Fifty Cents 1985	1,075,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1985
Fifty Cents 1986 (mint sets only)	247,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1986
Fifty Cents 1987 (mint sets only)	270,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1987
Fifty Cents 1988 Coat of Arms	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1988
Fifty Cents 1988 Bicentenary	8,206,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1988
Fifty Cents 1989 (mint sets only)	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1989
Fifty Cents 1990 (mint sets only)	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1990
Fifty Cents 1991 25th Anniversary of Decimal Currency	4,700,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1991
Fifty Cents 1992 (mint sets only)	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1992
Fifty Cents 1993	1,000,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1993
Fifty Cents 1994 International Year of the Family	21,239,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1994
Fifty Cents 1995 50th Anniversary of the End of WW2	15,908,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1995
Fifty Cents 1996	19,297,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1996
Fifty Cents 1997	4,340,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1997
Fifty Cents 1998 Bass and Flinders	22,422,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1998
Fifty Cents 1999	20,346,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1999
Fifty Cents 2000 Millennium	16,665,153	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2000
Fifty Cents 2000 Royal Visit	5,100,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Portrait by Gottwald	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2000
Fifty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Australia	43,300,936	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Fifty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Australian Capital Territory	2,085,539	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Fifty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - New South Wales	3,103,556	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Fifty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Norfolk Island	2,230,114	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Fifty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Northern Territory	2,143,029	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Fifty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Queensland	2,403,190	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Fifty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - South Australia	2,464,886	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Fifty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Tasmania	2,222,668	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Fifty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Victoria	2,883,106	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Fifty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Western Australia	2,400,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Fifty Cents 2002 Year of the Outback	11,665,062	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2002
Fifty Cents 2003 Volunteers	13,927,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2003
Fifty Cents 2004	17,918,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2004
Fifty Cents 2004 Primary School design	10,200,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2004
Fifty Cents 2005 (PNC only)	30,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2005
Fifty Cents 2005 60th Anniversary of the End of WWII	26,600,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2005
Fifty Cents 2005 Commonwealth Games	20,500,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2005
Fifty Cents 2006	59,300,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2006
Fifty Cents 2007	19,900,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2007
Fifty Cents 2008	33,000,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2008
Fifty Cents 2009	19,000,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2009
Fifty Cents 2010	22,200,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2010
Fifty Cents 2010 Australia Day	11,400,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2010
Fifty Cents 2011	14,400,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2011
Fifty Cents 2012	17,600,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2012
Fifty Cents 2013	18,800,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2013
Fifty Cents 2014	17,700,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2014
Fifty Cents 2014 AIATSIS	3,000,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2014
Fifty Cents 2015	19,400,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2015
Fifty Cents 2016	25,500,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2016
Fifty Cents 2016 Changeover	7,001,661	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2016 FIFTY YEARS
Fifty Cents 2017	8,200,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2017
Fifty Cents 2017 Mabo	1,400,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2017
Fifty Cents 2018	4,660,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2018
Fifty Cents 2019 (Fourth Portrait)	1,050,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2019
Fifty Cents 2019 Indigenous Languages	2,070,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2019
Fifty Cents 2019 (Fifth Portrait)	870,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2019
Fifty Cents 2020	720,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2020
Fifty Cents 2021	1,440,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2021
Fifty Cents 2022	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2022
Fifty Cents 2023	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2023
Fifty Cents 2023 Memorial Obverse	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II 1952 - 2022 · AUSTRALIA 2023
Fifty Cents 2024	unknown	King Charles III - Portrait by Dan Thorne	CHARLES III · AUSTRALIA 2024
Fifty Cents 2024 NAIDOC	unknown	King Charles III - Portrait by Dan Thorne	CHARLES III · AUSTRALIA 2024 · 50 CENTS ·

Advertising

Buy Silver Coins Online

My Collection

Please sign up and/or log in.

You will then be able to manage your collection and record whether you have or want this coin.

Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver): Details

Country	Australia
Currency	Australian Dollar
Coin Type	Fifty Cents Silver
Issued	1966
Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
Effigy	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait, by Arnold Machin
Reverse	Coat of Arms of Australia, 1912
Face Value	50 (x Cent)
Total Mintage	36,454,000 (36.5 million)
Current	No
Material	0.800 Silver
Designer	Stuart Devlin
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Orientation	Medal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size	31.6500 mm
Mass	13.2800 g
OCC ID	YAPV-ZOYR-CDME-LMDW

Search Similar Coins to Buy (Affiliate Ad)

Search for Australia: Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver) on eBay

Advertising

Buy gold and silver bullion online!

Share or Bookmark this Page

Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver): Photos

Image	Details
	Proof Coin - 50 Cents, Australia, 1966 Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Naomi Andrzejeski Notes: Proof. Source
	Proof Coin - 50 Cents, Australia, 1966 Copyright: Museums Victoria / CC BY Author: Naomi Andrzejeski Notes: Proof. Source
	Coin, Australia, Elizabeth II, 50 Cents, 1966 Copyright: NumisCorner.com Source
	Coin, Australia, Elizabeth II, 50 Cents, 1966 Copyright: NumisCorner.com Source

Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver): Catalogue Reference IDs

Source	Reference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins	Australia KM# 67

Relevant Links

Museums Victoria: Specimen Coin - 50 Cents, Australia, 1966

Museums Victoria: Proof Coin - 50 Cents, Australia, 1966

Australian Coin Collecting Blog - Australian 1966 Round Silver 50 Cent

Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver), Coin from Australia - detailed information