Gold Tenth-Ounce 2021 Heroes of the Sky, 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The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the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). 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 2021 · 10 DOLLARS ·.

The reverse design shows, on a background of four thick decorative lines, a front view of three airborne aeroplanes, used at various stages in the history of the RAAF: a S.E.5a biplane, a Lockheed P-3 Orion (a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft), and a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II supersonic stealth fighter.

Between the two uppermost planes, a small letter C (from Canberra) represents a mint mark of the Royal Australian Mint which it uses on collector issues only.

To the left, a wedge-tailed eagle in flight - as it is depicted on the badge of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Below left, the anniversary dates 1921 · 2021.

On two lines below, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE

The initials of the designer, AS (for Aleksandra Stokic) are to the right, below the wing of F-35.

The coin design was approved by the Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance in Currency (Australian Coins) Amendment (2020 Royal Australian Mint No. 5) Determination 2020 on 5 November 2020.