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The Australian two-cent coin is the second smallest denomination of the Australian dollar. It was introduced with the Currency Act 1965 (Commonwealth) but - unlike some of the other denominations - it did not replace an earlier pre-decimal coin; given that the 5 cents piece replaced the sixpence, two cents were technically equal to 2.4 pence but the Act rounded that to either two or three pence. The halfpenny, penny and threepence denominations had no exact equivalent in the new system, unlike the sixpence, shilling and florin which were equivalent to respectively 5 cents, 10 cents and 20 cents and were re-denominated as such
Coins issued in 1985 circulated for seven years before, together with coins of the one cent denomination, they were withdrawn from circulation in February 1992. They have never been demonetised though and remain legal tender. |
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| Obverse | |
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Crowned bust of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a pearl necklace, facing right (effigy known as the "Third Portrait").
Incuse in tiny letters on the neck truncation, the designer's initials RDM (for Raphael David Maklouf).
Around, the monarch's legend and the date: ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1985.
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse features a frilled lizard with neck frill extended and mouth open, designed and sculpted by Stuart Devlin. The denomination numeral 2 [cents] is left of the lizard's head; below its body in (very) tiny letters, the designer's initials SD. |
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| Edge | Plain | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Krause lists circulation mintage of 34,700,000 plus 75,000 proofs. |
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