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

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This "Second Portrait" of Queen Elizabeth II was superseded by Raphael David Maklouf's design in 1985.

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.