Fifty Cents 2019 (Fourth Portrait), Coin from Australia - detailed information

The obverse shows the crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Fourth Portrait"). 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 Machin and the Gottwald portraits.

In small letters below the head, the artist's initials IRB (for Ian Rank-Broadley).

Around the effigy is the monarch's legend and the date: ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2019.

The reverse of the coin depicts the 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.

These are the last Australian 50 cent coins featuring the Queen's Fourth Portrait.

On 2 March 2015 the Royal Mint revealed a new effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, which went into production in the United Kingdom that very day. The new portrait was designed by Jody Clark, the first Royal Mint engraver to be chosen to create a definitive royal coinage portrait in over 100 years.

At that time, the Royal Australian Mint decided to continue with the Fourth Portrait by Ian Rank-Broadley. This was changed halfway through 2019; consequently, in 2019 some 50 cent coins were issued with the Fourth Portrait and some with the Fifth Portrait.

Production of the coins may be spread over more than one financial year, so that original data may be found in more than one mint report.

The Mint produced 0.224 mln circulating coins in the 2018-2019 financial year.