The one dollar coin circulating denomination (written as $1) was introduced in Australia in 1984, replacing the earlier banknotes. The original reverse design by Stuart Devlin featuring five kangaroos - known in Australia as the "Mob of Roos" design - has not been changed since its introduction.
The denomination is also used by both the Royal Australian Mint and the Perth Mint to issue an extensive range of collector coins, which are legal tender in Australia - such as this one.
This coloured $1 coin was issued in a two-coin sets marking 100 years since the release of Ginger Meggs.
The Mint says about it: "A century ago, Sydney artist Jimmy Bancks created an iconic Aussie character, a red-headed boy called Ginger Meggs. Part battler, part larrikin, part philosopher, Ginger Meggs is one of Australia’s most successful cultural figures, ranking alongside Dame Edna, Crocodile Dundee and Blinky Bill. Following Jimmy Bancks' death in 1952, the Ginger Meggs comic strip has been produced by a succession of talented artists, most recently Jason Chatfield since 2007."
These coins are Non-Circulating Legal Tender (collector issue). No coins of this type have been released into circulation. |