2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c Coin
The 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c is a circulating 50c coin with 1.4 million made. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2017
- Circulation mintage
- 1,400,000
- 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 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c worth?
At 1.4 million, the 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 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 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c rare?
- It is scarcer than most 50c coins. Collectors pay a small premium for good examples.
- How many 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c coins were made?
- 1,400,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 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 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c still legal tender?
- Yes. Every 50c coin, commemoratives included, is legal tender in Australia.
Why the 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c was made
Two landmark moments in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights share this coin. On 27 May 1967 more than 90 percent of Australian voters approved changes to the Constitution so that Aboriginal people would be counted in the census and the Commonwealth could make laws for them. On 3 June 1992 the High Court's Mabo decision recognized native title, overturning the idea that Australia had belonged to no one before British settlement. Eddie Koiki Mabo of Mer in the Torres Strait led that case but died in January 1992, months before the ruling.
In 2017, 50 years after the referendum and 25 years after the Mabo decision, the Royal Australian Mint released a commemorative 50c. It was unveiled at Old Parliament House in Canberra at the start of National Reconciliation Week, which runs between the two anniversaries each year. The design was created in collaboration with Boneta-Marie Mabo, Eddie Mabo's granddaughter. The circulation mintage was 1,400,000, the lowest of any commemorative 50c released into circulation up to that time. That low figure, plus the importance of the subject, makes it one of the most sought-after 50c coins to find in change.
How to recognize it
The reverse shows Eddie Mabo's face along with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. Pamphlets from the 1967 referendum campaign are woven into the design. The result is a busy, layered reverse that tells both stories at once. The obverse carries Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II with 2017 in the legend. Size and metal are unchanged from the everyday 50c, at 31.65 mm across the flats and 15.55 g of cupronickel, with 12 sides and a plain edge. Look for Mabo's portrait and the two flags to confirm you have this coin. Coins in change often show wear on the face first, while the flags stay readable for longer.
2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c by the numbers
In mintage terms the 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c is the lowest of 32 circulating 50c coins with a published mintage. The next more common is the 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c (2 million).
It was the only circulating commemorative 50c coin dated 2017.
What to check on your 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c
- Confirm the design and date: 1967 Referendum and Mabo dated 2017.
- 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 1.4 million, this has the lowest mintage of any commemorative 50c in this run of circulating designs, which makes it a coin collectors actively look for. Even circulated examples can bring a collector premium. Uncirculated coins from original mint rolls attract more. The Mint also sold a silver proof version that included a circulating coin, but the proof itself is a separate collector product. Because it's in demand, handle any example carefully and keep it in a holder. Don't clean it.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 50 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Australian Mint |
| Year | 2017 |
| Circulation mintage | 1,400,000 |
| Composition | Cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) |
| Weight | 15.55 g |
| Diameter | 31.65 mm |
| Shape | 12-sided |
| Edge | Plain |
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Mabo 50c rare?
It has the lowest mintage of the circulating commemorative 50c coins from 1970 to 2024, at 1,400,000, so it is one of the scarcer coins to find in change. Circulated examples can bring a collector premium and uncirculated coins attract more.
Who designed the 2017 Mabo and referendum 50c?
The Royal Australian Mint created the design in collaboration with Boneta-Marie Mabo, the granddaughter of Eddie Koiki Mabo. The coin shows his face with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.
Mintage figures: Australian fifty-cent coin (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Australian Mint figures. How we build these pages.