2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c Coin
The 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c is a circulating 50c coin with 2 million made. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2001
- Circulation mintage
- 2,000,000
- Value band
- Small premium
- Composition
- Cupronickel (75% copper, 25% 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 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c worth?
At 2 million, the 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c has a smaller run than most 50c coins, so collectors pay a small premium for it, especially in uncirculated condition. Well circulated examples sit close to face value.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with no bag marks
- An original mint roll or set
- A recognized variety or genuine error
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c rare?
- It is scarcer than most 50c coins. Collectors pay a small premium for good examples.
- How many 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c coins were made?
- 2,000,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c made of?
- Cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel). It weighs 15.55 g and measures 31.65 mm, with a 12-sided shape.
- Is the 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c still legal tender?
- Yes. Every 50c coin, commemoratives included, is legal tender in Australia.
Why the 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c was made
The Australian Capital Territory did not exist when Federation happened. The Constitution required the national capital to be in New South Wales at least 100 miles from Sydney. In 1911 land was transferred to the Commonwealth to create the territory. Canberra was named in 1913 and Parliament moved there from Melbourne in 1927. The ACT gained self-government much later, in 1989. Including it in the Centenary of Federation series recognized the capital as the place where the federation made by the colonies now does its business.
The ACT coin had the smallest circulation mintage of the whole 2001 Federation set: 2,000,000. That makes it the coin most collectors are missing when they try to complete the run from change. The territory was also given a 20c designed by Stacy Paine, a student at Caroline Chisholm High School. The 20c, 50c and $1 were sold together in a three-coin set. Releases were spread across 2001, one state or territory at a time, so the ACT coins appeared alongside others rather than all at once. Many were set aside by people who realized early that the capital's coin was the smallest issue.
How to recognize it
The reverse shows the coat of arms of the City of Canberra, which was used for the ACT. The arms are credited to C.R. Wylie. Look for the two swans that support the shield, one black and one white, a pairing that stands for the Aboriginal people and the European settlers of the region. The shield carries a castle along with symbols of government and justice. Lettering around the rim reads CENTENARY OF FEDERATION, 1901 2001 and AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY with FIFTY CENTS. The obverse shows Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. The swans make this the easiest state or territory coin to recognize at arm's length.
2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c by the numbers
Measured by how many were made, the 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c ranks 2nd lowest of 32 circulating 50c coins with a published mintage. The next scarcer is the 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c (1.4 million); the next more common is the 2019 Year of Indigenous Languages 50c (2 million).
For scale, the most common is the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games 50c with 49.6 million, about 25 times as many. The scarcest is the 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c with 1.4 million.
2001 brought 9 other circulating 50c coin designs, from the Centenary of Federation: Northern Territory (2.1 million) up to the Centenary of Federation (43.1 million). The 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c was the scarcest of the year.
What to check on your 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c
- Confirm the design and date: Centenary of Federation: ACT dated 2001.
- Check the shape and size: the 50c is 12-sided, 31.65 mm across and weighs 15.55 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 2 million, this is the lowest mintage of any coin in the 2001 Federation series and one of the lower figures for any 50c. Even so, circulated examples are usually face value or bring only a small premium, because a few million coins is still a lot. Uncirculated coins with clean swans and bright fields are the ones collectors want and they command a small premium. A full set of the nine state and territory coins in uncirculated condition always gets more attention when it includes a sharp ACT coin.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 50 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Australian Mint |
| Year | 2001 |
| Circulation mintage | 2,000,000 |
| Composition | Cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) |
| Weight | 15.55 g |
| Diameter | 31.65 mm |
| Shape | 12-sided |
| Edge | Plain |
Other 2001 50c coins
| Coin | Circulation mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 Centenary of Federation 50c Coin | 43,100,000 | Face value |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: New South Wales 50c Coin | 3,000,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Norfolk Island 50c Coin | 2,200,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Northern Territory 50c Coin | 2,100,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Queensland 50c Coin | 2,300,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: South Australia 50c Coin | 2,400,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Tasmania 50c Coin | 2,200,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c Coin | 2,800,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Western Australia 50c Coin | 2,400,000 | Small premium |
Frequently asked questions
Which 2001 Federation 50c has the lowest mintage?
The Australian Capital Territory coin, with 2,000,000 struck for circulation. The Northern Territory coin is close behind at 2,100,000. Both are worth keeping in good condition if you are building the full Federation set.
What are the birds on the 2001 ACT 50c?
They are swans, one black and one white, supporting the coat of arms of the City of Canberra. The pairing is a familiar part of the Canberra arms and makes the ACT coin easy to pick out.
Mintage figures: Australian fifty-cent coin (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Australian Mint figures. How we build these pages.