The one dollar coin denomination (written as $1) was introduced in Australia in 1984, replacing the earlier banknotes. The original definitive type featuring five kangaroos has not been changed since its introduction and is still issued regularly.
Apart from the regular design, the Royal Australian Mint issues a large variety of circulating commemorative one dollar coins which have the same specifications and circulate in parallel with the definitive type - such as this one.
This coin was issued as part of a six-coin set celebrating 30 years of The Wiggles.
The Mint says about the set:
"Celebrating 30 years of The Wiggles, The Royal Australian Mint proudly presents this colourful collection, featuring beloved characters The Wiggles and their friends, Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wag the Dog and Henry the Octopus. These coins reflect the joy, creativity and popularity of The Wiggles. Emma, Lachy, Simon along with Anthony continue to entertain and delight children worldwide, following the footsteps of the original members, Greg, Jeff and Murray."
Children’s entertainers The Wiggles formed in Sydney in 1991 when original member Anthony Field decided to create a children’s music album, enlisting Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt to help him. The group soon became so successful that they were able to quit their teaching jobs. By 2009, the group had been listed as Australia’s top-earning earning for four years in a row by Business Review Weekly, and were earning around $45 million per year in revenue. The skivvied group, now with new members, performs to around 1 million people per year and have received more than 1 billion streams. |
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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The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the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) and extends almost to the rim of the coin; consequently, the legend does not run continuously around the rim.
The artist's initials JC (for Jody Clark) are in tiny letters below left.
Around the effigy is the monarch's legend and the date: ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2021.
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse of the coin shows the four original members of The Wiggles - Anthony, Greg, Jeff and Murray - riding in a car marked with The Wiggles logo and BIG RED CAR, amid symbols of music.
Around above, the inscription THIRTY YEARS OF THE WIGGLES · 1991.
Around below, the value and denomination: 1 DOLLAR. |
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| Notes | The coins were released through a "corporate program" partnership between the mint and Woolworths Supermarkets, with customers receiving the coloured $2 coins in their change. There were also 300,000 sets which also contained the two $1 coins, which were supposed to be available in the sets only. However, due to the relatively large mintage of the sets, not all of them were sold; the remaining sets were broken up and the coins from them released into circulation too - which is why some of the $1 coins ended up in customer's change. They were quickly hoarded up by collectors though so shortly after that stopped showing up in change. |
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