Australian 50 cent coin

Infobox Coin
Country = Australia
Denomination = 50 cents
Value = 0.50
Unit = AUD
Mass = 15.55
Diameter = 31.51
Thickness = 3.00
Edge = plain
Composition = 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Years of Minting = 1969 – present
Catalog Number = –
Obverse = Australian Fifty Cents Obv.jpg
Obverse Design = Queen Elizabeth II, Australia's Queen
Obverse Designer = Ian Rank-Broadley
Obverse Design Date = 1965
Reverse = Australian Fifty Cents Rev.jpg
Reverse Design = Australian coat of arms
Reverse Designer = Stuart Devlin
Reverse Design Date = 1965

The twelve-sided Australian 50 cent piece is the largest Australian coin currently issued and second largest after the Crown of 1937-38.Originally the coin was made of 80% silver and 20% copper, but as the value of a free-floating silver price became higher, the coins' bullion value became more valuable than their face value and so were withdrawn from circulation. Many commemorative coins have been issued due to their large size allowing for a better image with more content.Most years have the coat of arms except those below, years of non-issue are: 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992. Standard designs were also issued with commemoratives in the following years: 1981, 2004 and 2005.

Commemorative coins

Commemorative 50 cent coins issued not for circulation include:
*2006: Weightlifting
*2008: Centenary of Scouts Australia

External links

* [http://www.australianstamp.com/Coin-web/aust/decimal.htm Australian Decimal Currency]

References