This twelve-sided 2006 Australian 50 cents with the coat of arms was gilded after issue, turning an ordinary circulating coin into a souvenir.

Officially the 2006 50 cents is an uncoated copper-nickel coin, struck by the Royal Australian Mint to a total of 59.3 million. Neither the issuer nor the Numista catalogue knows a gold-plated version for that year, so the coating is a later souvenir finish and its metal is not confirmed by any official data.

The reverse shows Stuart Devlin’s Commonwealth Coat of Arms, the shield held by a red kangaroo and an emu. The twelve sides date from 1969: the first, round coin of 1966 contained 80% silver and was halted in 1968 as the metal grew dearer, while the new shape also ended confusion with the similar-sized 20 cents. The obverse bears Ian Rank-Broadley’s portrait of Elizabeth II (IRB).

Condition UNC: the coin itself never circulated and shows no wear. The decorative coating is not part of the official specification, and the appeal of the piece lies in a familiar heraldic design combined with a souvenir finish.

VPcoins is a numismatic shop where coins from many countries are gathered in a single catalogue.