The 10 cent coin was first introduced with decimalisation on 14 February 1966. The original reverse design has not been changed since the introduction. After the withdrawal of the one cent and two cents denominations from circulation in February 1992, the ten cent coin is now the second smallest circulating coin of the Australian dollar.

Coins issued in 1999 have now been in circulation for 19 years.

Crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (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 tiny 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 1999.

Lyrebird seen facing left with its tail plumes expanded forward over its head. The denomination numeral 10 [cents] is above the head of the bird; the artist's initials SD (for Stuart Devlin) are in (very) tiny letters below, in the field beside its right foot.

Krause catalogues list mintage of 179,016,000 circulation coins plus 28,000 proofs.

10.895 mln circulation ten cent pieces dated 1999 were minted in the 2000/2001 financial year (ending 30 June).

Sources of original information:

Royal Australian Mint, Annual Report 2000 - 2001 (2001), p. 53. Retrieved from https://www.ramint.gov.au/sites/default/files/AnnualReport2001_small.pdf