Information about Coat of Arms: Coat of Arms of Australia, 1912

The second (and current) Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia was granted by King George V by Royal Warrant on 19 September 1912. It replaced the 1908 Coat of Arms.

It is composed of a shield divided into six parts, each containing a representation of the badge of a State:
- New South Wales - the Cross of St George with lion and stars
- Victoria - the Southern Cross
- Queensland - a blue Maltese Cross and Crown
- South Australia - the Australian piping shrike bird
- Western Australia - a black swan
- Tasmania - a red walking lion

The shield is supported by a kangaroo and an emu standing on a grassy mound accompanied by small branches of wattle. A seven-point gold Commonwealth Star sits above the shield. Six of the star’s points represent the Australian states and the seventh point represents the territories.

The representation of the Coat of Arms on pre-decimal florin coins varied from the above:
- it had a crown in place of the Federation Star, and
- the representation of South Australia was by three sheaves of wheat above a rising sun instead of the authorised Piping Shrike

Note that the Coat of Arms appears on the reverse of the coins, since the obverse is reserved for the monarch's effigy.

1912 Coat of Arms of Australia on silver Florin coins (1938 - 1963)

Australia / Florin 1963

The 1912 Coat of Arms of Australia was only depicted on coins from 1938 onwards (earlier, the 1908 Coat of Arms was shown). This is how it looked like on the round pre-decimal coins of the Australian Florin (Two Shillings) denomination, issued until 1963.

Note the variations: large crown in place of the Federation Star, and South Australia being represented by three sheaves of wheat above a rising sun instead of the authorised Piping Shrike.

Also note that this is the reverse of the coin (the obverse depicts the monarch).

1912 Coat of Arms of Australia on silver 50 Cents

Australia / Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver)

The 1912 Coat of Arms of Australia was briefly shown on a round silver Fifty Cents coin, issued into circulation in 1966 only.

From time to time, the Royal Australian Mint also issues Non-circulating Legal Tender (NCLT) round 50 cents for collectors, some of them with this reverse.

1912 Coat of Arms of Australia on modern 50 Cents

Australia / Fifty Cents 2006

The 1912 Coat of Arms of Australia is currently shown on dodecagonal (12-sided) coins of the Fifty Cents denomination, issued from 1969.

Its shape has been adapted to cover the whole surface of the coin - there are no inscriptions outside the Coat of Arms; the numeral 50 for the value is overlaid on top of it.

Also note that - as on the earlier coins - this is the reverse of the coin (the obverse depicts the monarch).