2 Cents - Elizabeth II (3rd Portrait)
Australia • 2 Cents • Bronze (97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin) • 1985–1991
- Denomination
- 2 Cents
- Issuer
- Australia
- Struck
- 1985–1991
- Composition
- Bronze (97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin)
- Currency
- Dollar
- Weight
- 5.18 g
- Diameter
- 21.59 mm
- Catalog refs
- KM 79 · Schön 66
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The Australian two-cent coin was introduced in 1966 as part of the nation's transition to decimal currency, replacing the previous pre-decimal denominations. The 1985 issue features the third effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by sculptor Raphael Maklouf, which replaced the previous Arnold Machin portrait beginning in 1985. This design is notable for depicting the Queen wearing the George IV State Diadem, a choice intended to convey a more formal and regal appearance compared to the earlier, more simplified portraits.
The reverse of the coin displays the iconic frilled-neck lizard illustration by artist Stuart Devlin, who was responsible for the entire series of Australian decimal coinage designs. Devlin’s work was chosen to celebrate the unique Australian landscape and fauna, providing a distinct national identity for the new currency. By the mid-1980s, the two-cent coin remained a staple of daily commerce, though its purchasing power was already beginning to decline, leading to its eventual withdrawal from circulation in 1992.
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About 2 Cents - Elizabeth II (3rd Portrait)
2 Cents - Elizabeth II (3rd Portrait) is a coin in the Coins catalog on collecto.rs. Australia • 2 Cents • Bronze (97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin) • 1985–1991. Catalog data is sourced from Numista. No public coins collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.
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