Twenty Cents 1979, Coin from Australia

Coin	Twenty Cents 1979

The Australian 20 cent coin was first introduced with decimalisation on 14 February 1966 when it replaced the pre-decimal Australian florin, to which it is equal in size and mass. The original reverse design by Stuart Devlin has not been changed since its introduction.

Coins issued in 1979 have now been in circulation for 44 years.

Mint	Royal Australian Mint	Mint Mark	No mint mark	Total Mintage	22,336,000 (22.3 million), Rarity: C (Common)

Obverse

The obverse of the coin shows the crowned and draped young bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Second Portrait", by Arnold Machin).

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 Rank-Broadley and the Gottwald portraits.

Around, the monarch's legend and the date of issue: ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1979.

Obverse Inscription	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1979

Reverse

The reverse design shows a swimming platypus as seen from above, among swirls of water.

The denomination numeral 20 [cents] is above the head of the mammal; the artist's initials SD (for Stuart Devlin) are in (very) tiny letters, within the swirl of water around its right forepaw.

Reverse Inscription	20

Edge	Milled	Edge Inscription	None

Twenty Cents 1979: Known varieties

Variety	In mint sets
Mintage	Issued: unknown
In Set	1979 Uncirculated Set, mintage unknown 6 coins: 50 Cents, 20 Cents, 10 Cents, 5 Cents, 2 Cents, 1 Cent
Variety	Proof FDC
Mintage	Issued: 36,000 (included in total)
In Set	1979 Proof Set, mintage 36,000 6 coins: 50 Cents, 20 Cents, 10 Cents, 5 Cents, 2 Cents, 1 Cent

Twenty Cents 1979: References to Information Used

Source	Edition	About	Link	Notes
Museums Victoria Collections	2016	Coin description	link
Royal Australian Mint	2016	Mint	link
Royal Australian Mint	2016	Mintage	link
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins		Mintage		Circulation and proof mintage
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins		Varieties		Proof

All (78) coins of type: Twenty Cents

Coin Name	Mintage	Effigy	Legend
Twenty Cents 1966	58,308,304	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1966
Twenty Cents 1967	83,848,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1967
Twenty Cents 1968	40,537,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1968
Twenty Cents 1969	16,514,999	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1969
Twenty Cents 1970	23,286,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1970
Twenty Cents 1971	8,957,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1971
Twenty Cents 1972	16,653,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1972
Twenty Cents 1973	23,366,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1973
Twenty Cents 1974	33,559,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1974
Twenty Cents 1975	53,323,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1975
Twenty Cents 1976	59,795,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1976
Twenty Cents 1977	41,327,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1977
Twenty Cents 1978	37,439,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1978
Twenty Cents 1979	22,336,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1979
Twenty Cents 1980	84,468,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1980
Twenty Cents 1981	165,586,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1981
Twenty Cents 1982	76,700,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1982
Twenty Cents 1983	55,193,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1983
Twenty Cents 1984	27,881,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1984
Twenty Cents 1985	2,775,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1985
Twenty Cents 1986 (mint sets only)	247,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1986
Twenty Cents 1987 (mint sets only)	270,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1987
Twenty Cents 1988 (mint sets only)	346,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1988
Twenty Cents 1989 (mint sets only)	217,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1989
Twenty Cents 1990 (mint sets only)	156,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1990
Twenty Cents 1991 (mint sets only)	189,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1991
Twenty Cents 1992 (mint sets only)	164,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1992
Twenty Cents 1993 (mint sets only)	130,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1993
Twenty Cents 1994	14,369,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1994
Twenty Cents 1995 Platypus (mint sets only)	132,269	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1995
Twenty Cents 1995 United Nations	4,800,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1995
Twenty Cents 1996	20,637,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1996
Twenty Cents 1997	16,762,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1997
Twenty Cents 1998	28,862,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Third Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1998
Twenty Cents 1999	64,209,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1999
Twenty Cents 2000	35,619,153	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2000
Twenty Cents 2001	82,164,896	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Australian Capital Territory	2,185,539	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - New South Wales	3,264,556	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Norfolk Island	2,270,114	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Northern Territory	2,163,029	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Queensland	2,383,190	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - South Australia	2,464,886	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Tasmania	2,262,668	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Victoria	2,983,106	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2001 Centenary of Federation - Western Australia	2,465,297	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2001 Donald Bradman	10,000,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001
Twenty Cents 2002	27,382,062	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2002
Twenty Cents 2003 Volunteers	7,600,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2003
Twenty Cents 2004	72,100,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2004
Twenty Cents 2005	58,600,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2005
Twenty Cents 2005 60th Anniversary of the End of WW2	33,500,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2005
Twenty Cents 2006	102,462,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2006
Twenty Cents 2007	42,712,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2007
Twenty Cents 2008	132,900,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2008
Twenty Cents 2009	43,600,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2009
Twenty Cents 2010	59,900,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2010
Twenty Cents 2010 ATO	11,600,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2010
Twenty Cents 2011	15,100,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2011
Twenty Cents 2011 International Women's Day	6,800,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2011
Twenty Cents 2011 Royal Wedding	10,100,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2011
Twenty Cents 2011 International Year of Volunteers	6,100,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2011
Twenty Cents 2012	34,600,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2012
Twenty Cents 2013	43,900,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2013
Twenty Cents 2013 Centenary of Canberra	6,200,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2013
Twenty Cents 2014	52,300,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2014
Twenty Cents 2015	24,400,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2015
Twenty Cents 2016	34,400,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2016
Twenty Cents 2016 Changeover	4,600,661	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2016 FIFTY YEARS
Twenty Cents 2017	29,800,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2017
Twenty Cents 2018	22,100,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2018
Twenty Cents 2019 (Fourth Portrait)	23,750,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Fourth Portrait	ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2019
Twenty Cents 2019 (Fifth Portrait)	3,000,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2019
Twenty Cents 2020	24,750,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2020
Twenty Cents 2021	7,130,000	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2021
Twenty Cents 2022	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2022
Twenty Cents 2023	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2023
Twenty Cents 2023 Memorial Obverse	unknown	Queen Elizabeth II - Uncouped Portrait by Jody Clark	ELIZABETH II 1952 - 2022 · AUSTRALIA 2023

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Twenty Cents 1979: Details

Country	Australia
Currency	Australian Dollar
Coin Type	Twenty Cents Platypus
Issued	1979
Monarch	Queen Elizabeth II
Effigy	Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait, by Arnold Machin
Face Value	20 (x Cent)
Total Mintage	22,336,000 (22.3 million), Rarity: C (Common)
Current	Yes
Material	CuproNickel
Designer	Stuart Devlin
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Orientation	Medal Alignment (Axis 0)
Size	28.6500 mm
Thickness	2.5200 mm
Mass	11.3000 g
OCC ID	KLBR-PORR-CVQO-MNYA

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Twenty Cents 1979: Photos

Image	Details
	Coin, Australia, Elizabeth II, 20 Cents, 1979 Copyright: NumisCorner.com Source
	Coin, Australia, Elizabeth II, 20 Cents, 1979 Copyright: NumisCorner.com Source

Twenty Cents 1979: Catalogue Reference IDs

Source	Reference ID
Krause, Standard Catalog of World Coins	Australia KM# 66

Relevant Links

Museums Victoria: Coin - 20 Cents, Australia, 1979

Twenty Cents 1979, Coin from Australia - detailed information