Information about effigy: Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait, by Arnold Machin

Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait, by Arnold Machin
Australia / Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver)

Arnold Machin O.B.E., R.A. (30 September 1911 - 9 March 1999) was a British artist, sculptor, coin and stamp designer. He designed the first portrait of Her Majesty on decimal coinage for the British Royal Mint, approved in 1964. This portrait was adopted for the obverse design of Australia's new coinage to be released on C-Day, 14 February 1966 and preceded its first use on British coins in 1968.

According to the Royal Mint, "As part of the change [to decimal coinage], a new portrait of The Queen was adopted for the decimal coins. Designed by Arnold Machin RA, it had in fact been approved by The Queen as early as June 1964. Like Mary Gillick, Machin avoided the couped portrait - cut off by the neck - which had been usual on coins earlier in the century. The wreath, however, was replaced with the tiara which The Queen had been given as a wedding present from her grandmother, Queen Mary." The "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947, is also displayed on the Rank-Broadley and Gottwald portraits.

This effigy was used on coins in:
- Canada from 1965 to 1989
- Australia from 1966 to 1984
- New Zealand from 1967 to 1985
- United Kingdom from 1968 to 1984

In 1966 the Queen approved Machin's similar design for an effigy of her to be used on what came to be known as the "Machin series" of British definitive postage stamps. Machin produced a bas-relief in clay, which when combined with a different coloured background, is reminiscent of the overlaid decoration of potteries such as Wedgwood. The design was first used on the 4d value which was issued in June 1967, and has been used on all British definitive stamps (except more recent regional issues) ever since. It is thought that this design is the most reproduced work of art in history with, to date, approximately 320 billion copies produced.

In 2007 the Machin-designed stamp was still in use at its 40th anniversary and to mark the occasion, the Post Office issued a commemorative stamp featuring a photograph of Arnold Machin. It was also available for sale in a miniature sheet which incorporated another stamp with a reproduction of a Machin series stamp as well as two £1 Machins in different colours.

This "Second Portrait" of Queen Elizabeth II was superseded by Raphael David Maklouf's design in 1985.

Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait, by Arnold Machin - Example/s on coins
Australia / Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver)

Arnold Machin's Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on Australian coinage

Australia / Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver)

Some countries of the British Commonwealth, such as Australia, adopted the new effigy of Queen Elizabeth II earlier than the United Kingdom did. In the case of Australia and New Zealand, this coincided with their introduction of decimal currency, so that the new currencies started with this portrait of the monarch.

Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait, by Arnold Machin - showing 100 of 539 coins (Page 1 of 6)
CountryNameMintageLegend
Australia One Cent 1966 412,085,110 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1966
Australia Two Cents 1966 429,664,404 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1966
Australia Ten Cents 1966 41,069,314 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1966
Australia Fifty Cents 1966 (round, silver) 36,454,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1966
Australia Twenty Cents 1966 58,308,304 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1966
Australia Five Cents 1966 75,512,304 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1966
Bahamas Fifteen Cents 1966 625,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Two Dollars 1966 104,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Twenty-five Cents 1966 1,486,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Five Dollars 1966 100,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Ten Cents 1966 1,973,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas One Dollar 1966 181,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Fifty Cents 1966 479,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas One Cent 1966 7,087,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Five Cents 1966 2,346,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Australia One Cent 1967 110,055,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1967
Australia Ten Cents 1967 51,032,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1967
Australia Two Cents 1967 73,250,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1967
Australia Twenty Cents 1967 83,848,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1967
Australia Five Cents 1967 62,144,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1967
New Zealand Two Cents 1967 75,300,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1967
New Zealand Twenty Cents 1967 13,300,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1967
New Zealand Five Cents 1967 26,300,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1967
New Zealand One Dollar 1967 300,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1967
New Zealand Two Cents 1967 (no date, Bahamas mule) 50,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
New Zealand Fifty Cents 1967 10,300,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1967
New Zealand One Cent 1967 120,300,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1967
New Zealand Ten Cents 1967 17,300,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1967
Australia Five Cents 1968 67,336,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1968
Australia Two Cents 1968 16,995,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1968
Australia Ten Cents 1968 57,200,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1968
Australia One Cent 1968 19,930,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1968
Australia Twenty Cents 1968 40,537,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1968
Bahamas Ten Cents 1968 550,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas One Cent 1968 800,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Five Cents 1968 600,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
New Zealand Fifty Cents 1968 (mint sets only) 75,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1968
New Zealand Ten Cents 1968 (mint sets only) 75,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1968
New Zealand Twenty Cents 1968 (mint sets only) 75,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1968
New Zealand One Cent 1968 (mint sets only) 75,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1968
New Zealand Five Cents 1968 (mint sets only) 75,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1968
New Zealand Two Cents 1968 (mint sets only) 75,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1968
United Kingdom Five Pence 1968 98,868,250 ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1968
United Kingdom Ten Pence 1968 336,143,250 ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1968
Australia Two Cents 1969 12,953,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1969
Australia Five Cents 1969 38,183,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1969
Australia Fifty Cents 1969 14,028,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1969
Australia One Cent 1969 8,793,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1969
Australia Twenty Cents 1969 16,514,999 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1969
Australia Ten Cents 1969 22,100,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1969
Bahamas One Dollar 1969 36,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Ten Cents 1969 2,036,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Twenty-five Cents 1969 1,036,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Fifteen Cents 1969 1,036,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Five Cents 1969 2,101,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas One Cent 1969 4,046,481 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Two Dollars 1969 36,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Five Dollars 1969 46,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Fifty Cents 1969 36,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Fiji One Cent 1969 11,010,000 ELIZABETH II FIJI 1969
Fiji Ten Cents 1969 3,510,000 ELIZABETH II FIJI 1969
Fiji Five Cents 1969 9,210,000 ELIZABETH II FIJI 1969
Fiji Twenty Cents 1969 2,010,000 ELIZABETH II FIJI 1969
Fiji Two Cents 1969 8,010,000 ELIZABETH II FIJI 1969
Fiji One Dollar 1969 80,000 ELIZABETH II FIJI 1969
New Zealand Fifty Cents 1969 (mint sets only) 100,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1969
New Zealand Two Cents 1969 20,560,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1969
New Zealand Twenty Cents 1969 2,600,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1969
New Zealand One Cent 1969 (mint sets only) 100,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1969
New Zealand One Dollar 1969 Captain Cook 500,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1969
New Zealand Five Cents 1969 10,310,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1969
New Zealand Ten Cents 1969 3,050,000 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1969
United Kingdom Fifty Pence 1969 188,400,000 ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1969
United Kingdom Five Pence 1969 120,270,000 ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1969
United Kingdom Ten Pence 1969 314,008,000 ELIZABETH · II D · G · REG · F · D · 1969
Australia Two Cents 1970 39,887,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1970
Australia Twenty Cents 1970 23,286,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1970
Australia One Cent 1970 72,575,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1970
Australia Fifty Cents 1970 James Cook 16,555,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1970
Australia Ten Cents 1970 22,321,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1970
Australia Five Cents 1970 46,073,000 ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1970
Bahamas Two Dollars 1970 55,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas One Dollar 1970 50,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Twenty-five Cents 1970 49,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Ten Cents 1970 50,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Fifty Cents 1970 48,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Fifteen Cents 1970 51,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Five Cents 1970 49,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas Five Dollars 1970 66,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Bahamas One Cent 1970 148,000 ELIZABETH II BAHAMA ISLANDS
Fiji One Dollar 1970 Independence Commemorative 30,000 ELIZABETH II FIJI 1970
Isle of Man One Crown 1970 Manx Cat 150,000 ELIZABETH THE SECOND
New Zealand Two Cents 1970 (mint sets only) 50,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1970
New Zealand One Dollar 1970 Mount Cook (Royal Visit) 335,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1970
New Zealand Twenty Cents 1970 (mint sets only) 50,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1970
New Zealand One Cent 1970 10,080,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1970
New Zealand One Dollar 1970 Cook Islands 30,100 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1970
New Zealand Five Cents 1970 11,172,020 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1970
New Zealand Ten Cents 1970 2,066,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1970
New Zealand Fifty Cents 1970 (mint sets only) 50,010 ELIZABETH II NEW ZEALAND 1970
Showing 1 to 100 of 539 Coins.
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Queen Elizabeth II - Second Portrait, by Arnold Machin: Details
Year1964
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