Australia 1979 5 cents

from 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 five cent piece was struck 1969-84. The module is that of the sixpence of the sterling coinage. An older bust of the Queen was used 1985-98. The spiny echidna still curls up on the reverse of current issues. Coinage production, formerly divided among the Sydney, Perth and Melbourne mints, is now concentrated at the Canberra Mint.

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

Specification: 2.83 g, copper-nickel, 19.4 mm diameter, designed by Arnold Machin and Stuart Devlin.

Catalog reference: KM 64.

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:

• 1978 5 cents
• 1979 cent
• 1979 2 cents
• 1979 10 cents
• 1979 20 cents
• 1979 50 cents
• 1981 5 cents
• Coins and currency dated 1979
• return to coins of Australia