Australia: Final gold and silver coins to feature Ian Rank-Broadley’s beloved design

The Royal Australian Mint (RAM) will begin phasing out the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2019. This is the end of an era for Australian currency, since the Ian Rank-Broadley design has been proudly included on the obverse of Australia’s coin currency since 1998, and was the fifth effigy of the Queen to be featured. Ian Rank-Broadley and his effigy design, highly regarded for its realism, joins an alumnus of previous effigy artists including Mary Gillick (1953), Arnold Machin OBE RA (1966), Raphael Maklouf (1985), and Vladmir Gottwald (2000). Upon the accession of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, a series of circulation coins was prepared in time for her coronation, with reverse designs first seen on the coins introduced during the reign of her father King George VI (reigned 1936–1952) and grandfather King George V (reigned 1910–1936).

When Australia announced they would introduce a decimal-based system of coinage in time for release in 1966, a new effigy to distinctly differentiate the previous issue from the new coinage was introduced. The Arnold Machin effigy, considered a numismatic icon today, was a graceful head and shoulders likeness of the-then 40-year-old monarch that would be seen on Australian coins for the next 19 years. A new mature portrait of the Queen was introduced onto British (and later onto the coins of some Commonwealth countries) in 1985, which depicted Her Majesty wearing the George IV State Diadem, the portion of a crown that was made in 1820 for King George IV. In 1998, a new effigy of the Queen was introduced onto British coinage and that of many Commonwealth countries which was considered one of the most realistic in terms of its detail and engraving. The effigy is the work of British sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley, and for many coin collectors, it is one of the most widely seen portraits on coinage issued worldwide. In 1996, Vladimir Gottwald, then a member of the Royal Australian Mint’s Design and Engraving section submitted a design effigy following the British Royal Mint’s invitation for a new effigy. Although Rank-Broadley’s design was eventually chosen, Gottwald’s design was approved for a once-only use to commemorate a Royal Visit of Her Majesty in 2000. The portrait depicts Her Majesty wearing the “Girls of Great Britain and Ireland” tiara, which was a wedding gift from Queen Mary in 1947 and was used only on commemorative 50-cent coins.

Since Ian Rank-Broadley’s effigy first graced Australian coins over 20 years ago, there has been a significant development in coin production by the Royal Australian Mint, including the introduction of 3-D modelling software for coin design and the first release of colour printed coins. In September 2018, the sixth effigy to appear on Australian currency was unveiled. The new sixth effigy, known as the “Commonwealth design,” was created by Royal Mint (UK) engraver Jody Clark and will begin its gradual transition onto Australian coinage in 2019 and continue into 2020. To commemorate the conclusion of the fifth effigy by Ian Rank-Broadley, the Royal Australian Mint has produced a limited mintage of 2019-dated Proof sets minted in gold and fine silver. The sets include all six denominations, from the five-cent to the two-dollar values. The last of the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy 2019 gold Proof six-coin collection is limited to a mintage of 50 sets.

The 2019 fine silver Proof six-coin set is limited to a mintage of 1,000 sets. Each coin set is displayed in a custom presentation case along with a numbered certificate of authenticity. For additional information about these two sets, please visit the Royal Australian Mint’s website.

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