New Australian Coins Announced

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30528, 25 August 1964, Page 15

New Australian Coins Announced

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

CANBERRA, August 24. Australia’s new decimal coins, to be introduced in 1966, will bear motifs of Australian fauna.

They will feature the feather-tail glider and the frilled lizard, the spiny ant-eater, lyrebird, platypus and those two stand-bys, the kangaroo and emu.

Details of the coins were released today by the Treasurer (Mr H. Holt).

Each of the new coins will carry a large numeral on the reverse, or tail side indicating the number of cents. The other side will carry a new likeness of the Queen, the date and the arms of Australia. The date and the word Australia are carried on the tail side of present coins. This is how the coins will look: One cent—the feather-tail glider, sometimes known as the flying mouse. Two cent—the frilled lizard. Five cent—the echnidna or spiny ant eater. Ten cent—the lyrebird with its tail expanded. Twenty cent —the platypus. Fifty cent—the kangaroo and the emu (and coat of arms). “Came Piecemeal” “Our present coins have been built up more or less piecemeal over the last 54 years,” said Mr Holt. “In no sense do they represent a family of designs nor do they give adequate recognition to the large number of uniquely Australian motifs." The coins will dispense with the complex Latin inscriptions which now appear on Australian currency. Mr Holt said the new coins would combine “dignity with simplicity”. Instead of the present inscription “Elizabeth II del gratia regina fid,” which carried only limited meaning

and significance to the average Australian, the new coins would have “Elizabeth II” on the left and “Australia 1966” on the right. Officials are prepared for protests over the designs and are ready to reject suggestions that other national Australian animals, particularly the sheep and koala bear, should appear on the coins. They said the cuddly koala

bear’s very shape ruled him out as a symbol for the new currency. “Too round and roly-poly,” an expert said. “He was tried but he just doesn’t have the figure to lend himself to coin display.” Experts also expect protests about the “decimal kangaroo.” The animal’s normally rigid tail has been badly bent to fit him into the new 50-cent .piece.