Description

Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 1926–2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and of 14 other Commonwealth realms. Her reign of 70 years and seven months, which began on 6 February 1952, was the longest of any British monarch in history.

When her father died in February 1952, Elizabeth—then 25 years old—became queen regnant of seven independent Commonwealth countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), as well as Head of the Commonwealth. Elizabeth reigned as a constitutional monarch through major political changes such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, devolution in the United Kingdom, the decolonisation of Africa, and the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities and withdrawal from the European Union. The number of her realms varied over time as territories have gained independence and some realms have become republics.

Times of personal significance have included the births and marriages of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, her coronation in 1953 and the celebrations of her Silver, Golden, Diamond, and Platinum jubilees in 1977, 2002, 2012, and 2022, respectively.

Obverse

Fourth crowned portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara.

The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara was a wedding present in 1947 from her grandmother, Queen Mary, who received it as a gift from the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland in 1893 on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of York, later George V. Made by E. Wolfe & Co., it was purchased from Garrard & Co. by a committee organised by Lady Eve Greville. In 1914, Mary adapted the tiara to take 13 diamonds in place of the large oriental pearls surmounting the tiara. At first, Elizabeth wore the tiara without its base and pearls but the base was reattached in 1969. The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara is one of Elizabeth's most recognisable pieces of jewellery due to its widespread use on British banknotes and coinage.

Engraver: Ian Rank-Broadley

ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2000
IRB

Reverse

Depicts five turning kangaroos (Mob of Roos) in different poses, leading around anti-clockwise and gaining in size as they do so. The denomination “1 DOLLAR” is struck across the bottom.

The 2015 World Money Show in Berlin had as its Guest of Honor for that year, the Royal Australian Mint which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. One dollar coins were minted and carded onsite with the distinctive form of the Ampelmann (English: Traffic light man) pedestrian traffic light symbol as a German-themed privy mark. The Ampelmann was first designed in the former East Germany. The symbol is a man wearing a hat either striding along in green for walk now or standing with the arms held straight out in red advising you to stop and not cross the road. It is one of the few symbols to have survived the fall of the Iron Curtain and remains endearing to all. The Ampelmann symbol has become synonymous with the nostalgia movement for East Germany, often referred to as Ostalgie.

In 2016 the Royal Australian Mint issued $1 with a privy mark with Buddy Beara at the 45th World Money Fair in Berlin, Germany. Buddy Bear started life as an art project in Berlin in 2001, becoming much-loved landmarks throughout the city. The Buddy Bear campaign now has 40 exhibitions spanning 5 continents representing their country's culture through design created by a chosen artist.

Known as ‘Berlin Bear’, the Berlin State Logo is featured on the Royal Australian Mint’s 2017 World Money Fair release. Graced with a privy mark featuring the Berlin Bear – a symbol used in the Berlin Coat of Arms since 1709.

2019 Australia's Dollar Discovery commemorating 35 years of the Australian $1 coin. The design includes the number '35' and the letters 'A', 'S' and 'S'.

Engraver: Stuart Devlin

1 DOLLAR

Edge

1 Dollar

4th portrait
KM# 489 Schön# 421
Characteristics
Material Aluminium Bronze
Weight 9 g
Diameter 25 mm
Thickness 2.5 mm
Shape round
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Australian Mint (RAM)

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