1 Cent - Elizabeth II (4th Portrait - 1966 Decimal Pattern; Waratah)

This 2009 one-cent coin is a striking example of the Australian decimal currency series that officially launched in 1966. The design features the iconic feathertail glider, commonly known as a pygmy possum, designed by Stuart Devlin. Devlin, a celebrated silversmith and jeweler, was commissioned to create the reverses for Australia's new decimal coins, aiming to capture the essence of Australian wildlife with a clean, modern aesthetic that moved away from the heraldic traditions of British coinage.

The obverse displays the fourth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Ian Rank-Broadley. This effigy was adopted in 1999 and became the standard for Australian coinage for many years, noted for its more realistic and mature depiction of the monarch compared to its predecessors. While the one-cent coin was withdrawn from circulation in 1992, these pieces remain significant in numismatic collections as markers of the transition to decimal currency and the enduring artistic legacy of Devlin’s wildlife series.