| Coin | Two Dollars 2022 Remembrance Day (Red Poppy) |
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The two dollar coin denomination (written as $2) was introduced in Australia in 1988, replacing the earlier banknotes. The original reverse design by Horst Hahne on circulating coins has not been changed since its introduction. The denomination is also often used to issue circulating commemorative coins with various reverses.
Apart from the circulating coinage, both the Royal Australian Mint and the Perth Mint have extensive programs issuing $2 coins for collectors (Non-Circulating Legal Tender, or NCLT), such as this one.
Issued to honour those lost in all wars, the Royal Australian Mint's 2012 Remembrance Day $2 commemorative coin was unquestionably one of the major numismatic highlights of 2012. It is Australia's first circulating commemorative in the two dollar denomination, and the first to be issued in colour. Since the colouring technique was still experimental, only a small number of coins had colour applied to them; the so-called red poppy quickly became a "key date" for Australian coin collectors.
In 2022, the mint re-issued the design as a limited mintage collector edition. No 2022-dated coins of this type were released into circulation. |
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| Obverse | |
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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The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the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 2022.
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| Reverse | |
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At centre, the coin features a coloured (red and black) poppy flower - the international symbol for Remembrance Day commemorating those fallen in World War One.
The background of the central circle contains the words REMEMBRANCE DAY"in microtext repeated and presented in 11 rows, and the words LEST WE FORGET in microtext in inverse order (facing in the other direction), repeated and presented in 11 rows.
Around above, the face value TWO DOLLARS. Around below, separated by it by two small poppy flowers in the rim, the inscription REMEMBRANCE.
A C mint mark (for Canberra) marks the coin as a special edition (on regular circulation coins the Royal Australian Mint does not use a mint mark). |
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| Reverse Inscription |
TWO DOLLARS REMEMBRANCE |
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| Edge | Milled interrupted (20 notches in 4 sections) | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated, coloured.
Packaging: in blister card.
Date of issue: 3 November 2022.
Issue price: AU$ 15.00.
The release was so popular that it a) sold out immediately, and b) due to the high volume of traffic, it caused a crash to the Mint's web site which could not recover from it for several days. |
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