Description

2016 Australia 10 Cent – Decimal Changeover Commemorative
Issued to mark 50 years since Australia adopted decimal currency, this special edition 10 cent coin by the Royal Australian Mint features Queen Elizabeth II’s effigy alongside a tribute to the pre-decimal Threepence “stalks of grain” design. A modern celebration of Australia’s rich coinage history.
The gold rush of the mid-19th Century resulted in many unofficial tokens and ingots until the Sydney Mint opened in 1855, producing sovereigns which were largely identical to their British counterparts. This English influence remained strong and the new national currency of 1910 inevitably emulated English pounds, shillings and pence. On 14 February 1966, the changeover to decimal currency transformed the nation, as Australia joined a worldwide currency trend. The uniquely Australian images of the decimal coins are still cherished on their 50th anniversary.