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The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the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). In small letters on the left, the artist's initials JC (for Jody Clark).
Running continuously around the rim is the monarch's legend, the date of issue and the face value: ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1oz 9999 Au 2021 100 DOLLARS.
The inscription around the rim also incorporates the precious metal content. "1 oz 9999 Au" means "one ounce of 99.99% gold" - Au is abbreviated from the Latin word for gold, Aurum.
The Queen's effigy is smaller than normal; in reference to the earliest coins in the series, her Third Portrait by Raphael David Maklouf is also shown, in a smaller cartouche above. |
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