Australia: Christmas beetle features on latest 50-cent Proof and Brilliant Uncirculated colour coins designed as holiday ornament

The Royal Australian Mint has released a set of 50-cent coins adorned with a holiday motif quintessentially Australian due to their theme. The reverse side of these festive coins is inspired by the Christmas beetle. This latest release in the mint’s much-loved annual Christmas decoration series has been elevated to the next level with the application of outstanding hyper-metallic colour print. Most city-dwelling Australians feel Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without these iridescent beetles crashing into windows and piling up around streetlights at night. 

It is believed by entomologists that beetles, which belong to the genus Anoplognathus, were probably the world’s first animal pollinators, assisting the fertilisation of cycads long before flowering plants came on to the scene. 

Designed by Royal Mint artisan Adam Ball, the reverse features a detailed eucalyptus wreath adorned with a circle of three beetles and an array of native flowers. Both of these 12-sided 2022 50-cent Uncirculated and silver Proof coins include vivid hyper-metallic colour applied to the three stylised Christmas beetles depicted. *The obverse features the commonwealth effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II designed by Jody Clark. As part of the legend seen around the effigy is the year of issue 2022, and below the Queen’s likeness is the denomination of 50 CENTS.

Denom.	Metal	Weight	Diameter	Quality	Maximum Mintage
50 cents	Cupro-nickel	15.5 g	31.5 mm	Brilliant Unc.	Unlimited
50 cents	.999 Silver	18.2 g	31.5 mm	Proof	5,000

As part of the design to utilise both the Uncirculated and silver Proof examples as a holiday ornament, each Uncirculated coin is housed in a blister-pak Christmas card and presented in a unique translucent hanging decoration, available in five colours, each gilded in iridescent foil. The silver version is housed in a special hanging ornament capsule with a red ribbon allowing it to be hung on display during the festive season and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. For additional information, please click here for the Brilliant Uncirculated coin or here for the silver Proof coin. 

*With the news of the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II in September, the Royal Australian Mint has advised collectors that coins dated 2022 will continue to include an effigy of the late Queen. Coins bearing a new effigy of HM King Charles III dated 2023 will be announced in due course, following consultation with Buckingham Palace. 

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