Australian five-cent coin facts for kids
| Australia | |
| Value | 0.05 AUD |
|---|---|
| Mass | 2.83 g |
| Diameter | 19.41 mm |
| Thickness | 1.30 mm |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Composition | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Years of minting | 1966–present |
| Catalog number | KM# 80 |
| Obverse | |
| Design | Queen Elizabeth II, Australia's Queen |
| Designer | Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Design date | 1999 |
| Reverse | |
 |
|
| Design | Echidna |
| Designer | Stuart Devlin |
| Design date | 1966 |
The Australian five-cent coin is the smallest coin you'll find in your pocket money in Australia. It's worth five cents! This coin first came out on 14 February 1966. It was part of a big change when Australia switched to decimal currency. Before that, Australia used different coins, like the sixpence.
Since 1992, the five-cent coin has been the lowest value coin. This happened after the one-cent and two-cent coins were no longer used.
Contents
The Australian Five-Cent Coin
A Little History
The five-cent coin was introduced in 1966. In its first year, many coins were made. Some were made in London, UK, at the British Royal Mint. Others were made in Canberra, Australia, at the Royal Australian Mint.
After 1966, most five-cent coins have been made in Canberra. But in 1981, some were also made in Wales, UK, and in Winnipeg, Canada. This was to help make enough coins for everyone.
What Does It Look Like?
One side of the coin shows an echidna. An echidna is a spiky, egg-laying mammal found in Australia. This design was created by Stuart Devlin.
The other side shows the head of Queen Elizabeth II. She was the head of state for Australia for many years. Her image on the coin was designed by Ian Rank-Broadley.
In 2016, a special five-cent coin was made. It celebrated 50 years since Australia changed to decimal currency. This is the only special five-cent coin ever made.
How Many Are Made?
Lots of five-cent coins are made every year! It has the highest number of coins produced compared to other Australian coins. The most coins made in one year was over 306 million in 2006. The fewest made in a year was 8.25 million in 1972.
In 1985 and 1986, no five-cent coins were made for general use. They were only made for special coin collector sets.
Is It Still Useful?
Because of its small value, some people wonder if the five-cent coin is still needed. Its buying power has decreased over time. This means it can't buy as much as it used to.
There have been talks about stopping the production of the five-cent coin. This is because of its low value and the cost to make it. In 2009, there were reports that the Royal Australian Mint might stop making them.
The metal in a five-cent coin is copper and nickel. Sometimes, the value of these metals can change. However, the metal in a five-cent coin is usually worth less than five cents. For example, in 2018, the metal was worth about 2.5 cents. It costs more than five cents to actually make each coin!
Even though it's a small amount, five-cent coins are still official money. You can use them to pay for things. However, you can only use them for amounts up to $5 when paying a debt.
See also
