Australian one-cent coin facts for kids
| Australia | |
| Value | 0.01 AUD |
|---|---|
| Mass | 2.60 g |
| Diameter | 17.65? mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Composition | 97% copper 2.5% zinc 0.5% tin |
| Years of minting | 1966–1991, 2006 and 2010-2016 |
| Obverse | |
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| Design | Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia |
| Designer | Raphael Maklouf |
| Design date | 1985 |
| Reverse | |
 |
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| Design | Feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus) |
| Designer | Stuart Devlin |
| Design date | 1966 |
The cent (also called the one-cent coin) was Australia's smallest coin for many years. It was part of the Australian dollar currency. This coin first appeared on 14 February 1966 when Australia switched to a decimal currency system. The one-cent coin was used until 1992, when it was removed from circulation. The Australian two-cent coin was also removed at the same time. Even though it's not used every day, the one-cent coin is still made sometimes for collectors.
In 1966, a one-cent coin could buy about the same as 15 cents in 2022. One-cent and two-cent coins are still considered official money, but only for amounts up to 20 cents. This means you can't pay a big bill using only these small coins.
What the Coin Looked Like
From 1966 to 1984, the front (obverse) of the coin showed a picture of Queen Elizabeth II. This portrait was designed by Arnold Machin. In 1985, the Queen's portrait was changed to a new design by Raphael Maklouf. This new design stayed on the coin until it was removed from circulation in 1992.
The back (reverse) of the coin featured a picture of a feathertail glider. This small, gliding possum is special because it only lives in Australian states near the Pacific Ocean. The image of the feathertail glider was created by Stuart Devlin. He designed the pictures for the back of all the first Australian decimal coins.
How the Coin Was Made
The very first one-cent coins were made in 1966 at three different places. These were the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra, the Melbourne Mint, and the Perth Mint. After 1966, most one-cent coins were made at the Canberra mint. However, in 1981, some were also made at the British Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Wales. The coin was not made in 1986. The last time it was made for general use was in 1990.
The Australian government decided to stop using the one-cent and two-cent coins. This decision was announced in 1990. The main reasons were that inflation had made the coins worth less, and it was becoming too expensive to make them from bronze. Other countries, like New Zealand, also stopped using their small bronze coins around the same time. The United Kingdom and Ireland changed their small bronze coins to copper-plated steel.
After the coins were taken out of circulation, many of them were melted down. The metal was then used to make bronze medals for the 2000 Summer Olympics held in Sydney.
Even though they are no longer used every day, one-cent coins are still made for special collections. For example, in 2017, a special coin set was released with a Possum Magic theme. It included a one-cent coin showing Hush the Possum reading a book. In 2019, another special set was released with a Mr Squiggle theme, which also included a one-cent coin.
