| Coin | Once Cent 2019 Mr Squiggle |
|---|
|
This collector edition one cent coin is part of a seven-coin series issued by the Royal Australian Mint to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Mr Squiggle and Friends.
Generations of Australians have grown up with Mr Squiggle and his friends: Blackboard, Bill Steamshovel and Gus the Snail. From his home on the Moon, Mr Squiggle would visit Earth in his rocket to entertain children - with his gentle whimsy and wonderful talent for turning their squiggles into pictures with his pencil nose.
Created by cartoonist and puppeteer Norman Hetherington, the children’s television series Mr Squiggle ran on the ABC between 1959 and 1999. At its height, Mr Squiggle was one of the most popular children’s programs in Australia, receiving many thousands of squiggles each year from children around Australia.
The series contains four coloured $2 coins issued into circulation, two $1 coins meant to be for collectors only, as well as this special one cent coin - which is in a denomination that no longer circulated in Australia at the time of issue. |
|
|
| Obverse | |
|---|
The obverse shows the crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Fourth Portrait"). The Queen wears the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947 - which she also has on the Machin and the Gottwald portraits.
In small letters below the head, the artist's initials IRB (for Ian Rank-Broadley).
Around the effigy is the monarch's legend and the date: ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2019.
|
|
|
| Reverse | |
|---|
The reverse design depicts a smiling Moon in the foreground on the left, and Rocket (a character from children's show Mr Squiggle) blasting off in the background on the right, among stars.
Below right, a large numeral 1 for the value (one cent). |
|
|
| Edge | Plain | Edge Inscription | None |
|
| Notes | The range was issued through a "corporate program" partnership between the mint and Woolworths Supermarkets, with customers receiving the $2 coins in their change. There were 365,000 sets containing all the coins in the range, and the one cent was only available through these sets. |
|---|
|
|
Search for Australia: Once Cent 2019 Mr Squiggle on eBay 