Fifty Cents 2015 Royal Australian Mint Anniversary, 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, the denomination is also extensively used to issue circulating commemorative coins with various reverses. It is one of the heaviest coins in regular circulation in the world.

Apart from circulating coins, the Royal Australian Mint has a range of Non-Circulating Legal Tender (NCLT) 50 cent coins issued for collectors, such as this one.

This coin was issued to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Royal Australian Mint. It was part of the annual sets for 2015.

The mint says about the sets:
"On 22 February 1965, the Royal Australian Mint was opened by His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh. This heralded the start of a new era: the first wholly Australian-operated mint, established to manufacture the coins that would become such a strong part of Australia’s identity after the changeover to decimal currency.

Since that day, over 14 billion circulating coins have been produced at the Mint, becoming iconic works of art which have traversed the entire country.

From Stuart Devlin’s acclaimed fauna designs and Horst Hahne’s dignified image of an Indigenous elder, to the commemorative coins honouring significant events and dates, these pieces have reflected the story of a proud and thriving nation. In this year of celebrating the Mint’s 50th anniversary, these coin sets will become treasured by casual and serious coin collectors who will appreciate the significance of this anniversary."

No coins of this type were released into circulation.