Fifty Cents 2020 Year of the Rat, Coin from Australia - detailed information

The obverse of the coin depicts the crowned old bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Royal Diamond Diadem crown worn for her Coronation (effigy known as the "Fifth Portrait" worldwide but "Sixth Portrait" in Australia, where the Queen's portrait by Vladimir Gottwald was fifth).

The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen mother) in 1937.

Unlike on British coinage, the effigy is "uncouped" (includes the Queen's shoulders) and extends almost to the rim of the coin; consequently, the legend does not run continuously around the rim.

The artist's initials JC (for Jody Clark) are in tiny letters below left.

Around the effigy is the monarch's legend and the date: ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2020.

The reverse of the coin shows at its centre a rat walking on a forking branch of a tree, with leaves and blossoms in the foreground.

Below right, the Chinese character for "rat" 鼠. On the left, the face value 50 [cents].

The designer's initials TD (for Tony Dean) are below left.

Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated.
Packaging, in a red presentation card.

The coin design was approved by The Treasury in acts compiled in Currency (Australian Coins) Determination 2019 on 11 September 2020.