Australia 1981 5 cents

a typical circulated specimen, 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 and is still being struck today, altho with an older bust of the Queen. 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. The Perth mint concentrates on producing collector coins.

Recorded mintage: 162,264,000 + 86,000 proofs, the highest mintage date.

Specification: 2.8 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:

• 1979 5 cents
• 1981 10 cents
• 1981 50 cents
• 1981 200 dollars, royal wedding
• 1983 2 cents
• 1984 5 cents
• Coins and currency dated 1981
• return to coins of Australia