Five Cents 2023 Echidna Toy, 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The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the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 2023.

The reverse of the coin is a re-design of Stuart Devlin's definitive 5-cent piece showing an echidna (also known as a spiny ant-eater) seen from below as it rolls into a protective ball. It is implemented as a wood-and-rope posable children's toy.

Superimposed over the echidna, the numeral for the value: 5 [cents].

The obverse has the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, even though the coins were issued during the reign of King Charles III.