2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 Coin
The 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 is a circulating $1 coin with 560,000 made. Value band: collector premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2016
- Circulation mintage
- 560,000
- Value band
- Collector premium
- Composition
- Aluminum bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel)
Original illustration of the coin's shape and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Face value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 worth?
With 560,000 struck, the 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 ranks as the lowest mintage of the 27 circulating $1 coins we track. Collectors pay a collector premium even for worn examples. Sharp, uncirculated coins with no marks bring considerably more.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition
- An original mint roll, card or set
- A genuine mint error
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 rare?
- Yes, by the standards of $1 coins. With 560,000 struck, the 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 ranks as the lowest mintage of the 27 circulating $1 coins we track.
- How many 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 coins were made?
- 560,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 made of?
- Aluminum bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel). It weighs 9 g and measures 25 mm.
- Is the 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 still legal tender?
- Yes. Every $1 coin, commemoratives included, is legal tender in Australia.
Why the 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 was made
Australia changed to decimal currency on 14 February 1966. For the 50th anniversary in 2016, the Royal Australian Mint did something it had never done across the whole range of circulating coins: it changed the obverse instead of the reverse. Every denomination from the 5c to the $2 carried a smaller portrait of Queen Elizabeth II above a miniature of a pre-decimal coin design, a neat way of linking the old money and the new.
The $1 was struck in far smaller numbers than the matching 50c and $2. Its circulation mintage was just 560,000, the lowest of any circulating commemorative $1 and far below the 7 million of the matching 50c. Because the reverse shows the ordinary mob of kangaroos, most people who received one in change had no idea it was special. That combination of a tiny mintage and a hidden feature has made it one of the most sought-after modern Australian dollars. Many collectors only learned about it years later and began checking every 2016 dollar that passed through their hands. It's a coin that rewards anyone who looks at both sides of their change.
How to recognize it
The reverse is Stuart Devlin's regular mob of kangaroos, unchanged since 1984. The special feature is on the other side. Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of the Queen appears much smaller than usual, placed above a miniature of the crowned coat of arms from the pre-decimal florin, the two shilling coin struck from 1938 to 1963. Around it, an inscription marks 50 years of decimal currency. To identify it, turn over any 2016 dollar: if the Queen's portrait is small and sits above a little crowned shield, you have this coin. The specifications are standard: 25 mm across, 9 g of aluminum bronze with an interrupted milled edge.
2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 by the numbers
In mintage terms the 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 is the lowest of 27 circulating $1 coins with a published mintage. The next more common is the 2020 Qantas Centenary $1 (604,000).
It was released in 2016 alongside 1 other circulating $1 coin design: the Centenary of ANZAC (2.19 million). The 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 was the scarcest of the year.
What to check on your 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1
- Confirm the design and date: 50 Years of Decimal Currency dated 2016.
- Check the shape and size: the $1 is round, 25 mm across, gold-colored and weighs 9 g.
- Look at the surfaces under a light. Coins from mint rolls or sets have unbroken luster; change-worn coins show scuffs on the high points.
- Never clean it. Polishing leaves fine scratches and an unnatural shine that collectors avoid.
At 560,000, this is the scarcest circulating commemorative dollar and even worn examples bring a collector premium. Uncirculated coins attract strong interest and are a significant target for anyone building a set of Australian dollars. Because the special feature is on the obverse, check every 2016 dollar you get, including those with kangaroos. Don't confuse it with the 2016 ANZAC dollar, which has a normal obverse and the soldier on the reverse. Keep any example in a holder and never clean it. A magnifier helps when checking the small obverse design for wear.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 1 dollar |
| Issuer | Royal Australian Mint |
| Year | 2016 |
| Circulation mintage | 560,000 |
| Composition | Aluminum bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel) |
| Weight | 9 g |
| Diameter | 25 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Interrupted milling |
Other 2016 $1 coins
| Coin | Circulation mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Centenary of ANZAC $1 Coin | 2,190,000 | Small premium |
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have the rare 2016 $1 coin?
Look at the obverse. The 50 Years of Decimal Currency dollar has a small portrait of the Queen above a miniature crowned coat of arms from the old florin. The reverse shows the ordinary kangaroos, so the obverse is the giveaway.
How many 2016 50th anniversary dollar coins were made?
Only 560,000 were struck for circulation, the lowest figure for any commemorative $1. Even circulated examples bring a collector premium, while uncirculated coins attract strong interest. Check every 2016 dollar you receive.
Mintage figures: Australian one-dollar coin (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Australian Mint figures. How we build these pages.