Fifty Cents 1998 (Silver, Crown), Coin from Australia - detailed information

The Australian 50 cent denomination was first introduced as a silver coin with decimalisation on 14 February 1966, but was changed in 1969 to its current specifications: a large dodecagonal (12-sided) copper-nickel coin; apart from the usual design featuring the Australian Coat of Arms (by Stuart Devlin) which has not been changed since its introduction, the denomination is also often used to issue circulating commemorative coins with various reverses. It is one of the heaviest coins in regular circulation in the world.

Apart from the circulating coinage, the Royal Australian Mint has an extensive program issuing 50 cent coins for collectors (Non-Circulating Legal Tender, or NCLT). Some of them - such as this one - are round, as reference to the original format of the denomination.

This coin was part of the 9-coin set Matserpieces in Silver 1998 - Coins of the 20th Century - Milestones. The set depicts "milestones" of Australian currency - reverses of iconic coins released during the 20th Century; it contains eight coins denominated as 20 cents: Florin 1910 reverse, Canberra Florin 1927 reverse, Melbourne Florin 1934 reverse, Florin 1938 reverse, Federation Jubilee Florin 1951 reverse, Royal Visit Florin 1954 reverse, United Nations 20 Cents (the first circulating commemorative in the denomination) and a regular platypus-design 20 Cents; plus one coin denominated as 50 cents with the 1937 Crown reverse.

All of these coins have the Queen's Fourth Portrait by Ian Rank Broadley, while the regular circulation coins of the year had the earlier portrait by Maklouf (see the regular 50 cents for 1998).

The coins are made of 99.9% silver and were issued in Proof FDC grade only. No coins of this type were released into circulation.