Current:Home > Contact-usKing Charles III’s image to appear on Australian coins this year-InfoLens
King Charles III’s image to appear on Australian coins this year
View Date:2024-12-23 11:26:51
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An image of King Charles III will soon appear on Australian coins, more than a year after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II, officials said Thursday.
The gold Australian dollar coin will be the first with an image of the new British monarch, who is also Australia’s head of state, Royal Australian Mint chief executive Leigh Gordon said.
About 10 million of the dollar coins will be circulating by Christmas, he said.
Assistant Minister for Treasury Andrew Leigh said the government had not wanted to rush the coin transition following the queen’s death in September last year.
“Certainly, we’re keen to get as many of the new coins with the king’s face on them out there as quickly as possible,” Leigh said.
The remaining denominations -– 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent coins plus a $2 coin -– will be rolled out with the king’s left profile and without a crown during 2024 based on demand from banks.
The latest queen’s image wore a crown. In maintaining tradition, the right profile of the queen was shown.
The king’s image is the official Commonwealth Effigy designed by The Royal Mint in London with the king’s approval and is available for use by all British Commonwealth countries.
The 15.5 billion Australian coins carrying the queen’s image minted since Australia introduced decimal currency in 1966 will remain legal tender. She has appeared on Australian money since 1953.
The government was criticized over a decision this year to replace the queen’s image on the $5 note with an Indigenous design rather than an image of the king.
The $5 bill had been Australia’s only remaining bank note to still feature an image of the monarch.
Critics saw it as part of a plan by the center-left Labor Party government to replace the British monarch as Australia’s head of state with an Australian president.
Leigh said there was no plan to remove the monarch from Australian coins.
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Outgoing North Carolina governor grants 2 pardons, 6 commutations
- U.S. intelligence detected Iranian plot against Trump, officials say
- More Americans apply for jobless benefits as layoffs settle at higher levels in recent weeks
- Milwaukee Bucks' Khris Middleton recovering from surgeries on both ankles
- Queen Elizabeth II's Final 5-Word Diary Entry Revealed
- Fred Armisen and Riki Lindhome have secretly been married with a child since 2022
- Many people are embracing BDSM. Is it about more than just sex?
- Montana Is a Frontier for Deep Carbon Storage, and the Controversies Surrounding the Potential Climate Solution
- Trump hammered Democrats on transgender issues. Now the party is at odds on a response
- Would putting a limit on extreme wealth solve power imbalances? | The Excerpt
Ranking
- Voyager 2 is the only craft to visit Uranus. Its findings may have misled us for 40 years.
- British Open ’24: How to watch, who are the favorites and more to know about golf’s oldest event
- Arlington Renegades, Bob Stoops, draft Oklahoma WR Drake Stoops in UFL draft
- Still in the Mood to Shop? Here Are the Best After Prime Day Deals You Can Still Snag
- Craig Melvin replacing Hoda Kotb as 'Today' show co-anchor with Savannah Guthrie
- Britney Spears Tells Osbourne Family to “F--k Off” After They Criticize Her Dance Videos
- Prime Day 2024 Last Chance Deal: Get 57% Off Yankee Candles While You Still Can
- WNBA players’ union head concerned league is being undervalued in new media deal
Recommendation
-
Officer injured at Ferguson protest shows improvement, transferred to rehab
-
Summer 'snow' in Philadelphia breaks a confusing 154-year-old record
-
Cavan Sullivan becomes youngest in US major sports to make pro debut
-
Illinois sheriff’s deputy charged with murder in fatal shooting of woman who called 911
-
Stocks soared on news of Trump's election. Bonds sank. Here's why.
-
JD Vance's abortion stance attacked by Biden campaign
-
Caitlin Clark has 19 assists break WNBA record in Fever’s 101-93 loss to Wings
-
Navy exonerates Black sailors in deadly 1944 port blast. Families say it was long overdue.