Australia 1973 2 cents

from the Stonecat 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 two cent piece was struck 1966-84. Unlike the five, ten and twenty cents, the module of the two cents does not match any the sterling coinage. An older bust of the Queen was used 1985-91, after which the denomination was suspended. 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: 94,058,000 plus 10,000 proofs.

Specification: 5.20 g, bronze, 21.6 mm diameter, designed by Arnold Machin and Stuart Devlin.

Catalog reference: KM 63.

Sources:

• 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:

• 1966 2 cents
• 1968 10 cents
• 1969 20 cents
• 1970 5 cents
• 1973 cent
• 1979 2 cents
• Coins and currency dated 1973