12-angle 50 cent coin Australia – different types

Commonwealth of Australia 50 cents coins of non-circular shape (polygon with 12 corners) have been issued since 1969. Regular issue coins are made of copper-nickel alloy, commemorative coins are made of copper-nickel alloy, aluminum bronze or silver.

Regular coinage

The side with the value designation (reverse)

The number 50 under the coat of arms of Australia (kangaroo and emu holding a shield with the state coats of arms, all against a background of plant ornament.

The side with the image of the ruler (obverse)

So far, 50-cent 12-sided Australian coins have only been issued under Queen Elizabeth II.

The inscription around the image of the queen:

ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA (date)

Parameters of regular coinage

Weight (grams) – 15.55

Diameter (mm.) – 31.65

Thickness (mm.) – 3.00

Types of portrait of Elizabeth II on 12-sided 50 cents of Australia

Young Queen Bust in Diadem (1969-1984)

Queen Bust in Crown (1985-1998)

Head of Queen with Tiara (1999-2019)

Elderly Queen Bust with Tiara (2019-2022)

Commemorative 12-Corner 50 Cents

A great many commemorative 50 cents have been issued in Australia – from different metals and with different characteristics. Some of them are very rare, and many were minted in huge print runs (primarily these are coins up to 2000 year). It often happens that coins of regular minting are less common than jubilee coins of the same year.

Research of jubilee coins is not in my sphere of interest, but if someone needs it – write, maybe I will make a description.