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The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the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 1952 - 2022 · AUSTRALIA 2024 · 100 DOLLARS ·.
The legend is interrupted by the "memorial" inclusion of the dates of the Queen's reign, 1952 - 2022.
The effigy, legend and face value are in a small circle, surrounded by a decorative border.
Around the rim outside that circle, a "Lunar Calendar Wheel": the twelve animals of the Lunar Calendar walking counter-clockwise: rat, pig, dog, rooster, monkey, goat, horse, snake, dragon, rabbit, tiger and an ox; the dragon is on top. |
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