Australia 1979 10 cents

formerly in the Mountain Groan Collection

In 1966, Australia abandoned the sterling coinage she had used since the days of Captain Cook and adopted the decimal dollar and cent. This ten cent piece was struck 1966-84. The module is that of the shilling of the sterling coinage. The denomination is still issued with the same lyrebird on the reverse, altho the bust of the queen was updated in 1985 and 1998. Coinage production, formerly divided among the Sydney, Perth and Melbourne mints, is now concentrated at the Canberra Mint while the Perth mint produces collector coins.

Recorded mintage: 44,533,000 plus 36,000 proofs.

Specification: 5.65 g, copper-nickel, 23.6 mm diameter, designed by Arnold Machin and Stuart Devlin.

Catalog reference: KM 65.

Source:

• McDonald, Greg, The Pocket Guide to Australian Coins and Banknotes, 23rd ed., Lavington, Australia, 2017.
• Pitt, Michael, Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values, 32nd Edition, Matraville, New South Wales, Australia: Renniks Publications, 2023.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.

Link to:

• 1968 10 cents
• 1979 cent
• 1979 2 cents
• 1979 5 cents
• 1979 20 cents
• 1979 50 cents
• 1980 10 cents
• Coins and currency dated 1979
• return to coins of Australia