The Royal Australian Mint revealed King Charles III’s effigy for Australian coins on 5 October 2023. The first circulating coin to carry it was the $1 coin, released in December 2023. The change put the King’s portrait on the coin’s obverse; the familiar five-kangaroo design remained on the standard reverse.
When did the King Charles $1 coin appear?
In its 5 October 2023 report, PerthNow said the Mint expected coins to begin circulating by Christmas. It reported an initial plan for about 10 million $1 coins, with other denominations to follow during 2024 in response to bank demand. That 10 million figure was a planned release quantity, not a final mintage.
The Mint’s 2023–24 annual report confirms the first Australian circulating coin bearing Charles III’s image on the obverse was released in December 2023. It says the Mint manufactured over 7 million 2023-dated $1 Mob of Roos coins and began shipping them to commercial banks; they entered circulation through retailers.
What changed on the coin?
The King’s effigy appears on the obverse, the side traditionally used for the reigning monarch’s portrait. The Royal Australian Mint says the current effigy was designed by Daniel Thorne of the Royal Mint in the United Kingdom. It faces left; Queen Elizabeth II’s effigy faced right, following the convention that each successive monarch faces the opposite direction from their predecessor. The Mint explains the design and transition in its FAQs on the change of sovereign.
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The standard $1 reverse has not changed with the new portrait: it still shows five kangaroos, a design by Stuart Devlin. The Australian $1 coin was introduced on 14 May 1984. Commemorative versions can carry other reverse designs, so not every $1 coin necessarily shows the standard kangaroos.
How the announced quantity compares with Mint figures
The figures describe different things and should not be treated as interchangeable. PerthNow reported the Mint’s initial plan in October 2023; the annual report gives a manufacturing figure; and the Mint’s denomination page publishes mintage figures.
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| Figure | What it describes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| About 10 million | Planned initial $1 release, as reported in October 2023; not an actual mintage | PerthNow |
| Over 7 million | 2023-dated $1 Mob of Roos coins the Mint says it manufactured | Mint annual report, 2023–24 |
| 6.209 million | 2023 $1 coins in the Mint’s published mintage table | Royal Australian Mint, One Dollar |
| 14.757 million | 2024 $1 coins in the Mint’s published mintage table | Royal Australian Mint, One Dollar |
“Manufactured” and “mintage” are the Mint’s distinct labels. The figures above therefore do not establish that the initial plan was fulfilled as stated or that a particular number of King Charles coins reached circulation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Will Queen Elizabeth II $1 coins still be accepted?
Yes. The Mint says existing coins bearing Queen Elizabeth II’s effigy are not recalled and remain legal tender. They continue to circulate until wear leads to their being recycled. The sovereign change is gradual: it involves design approval by Buckingham Palace, Mint tooling and trials, a currency determination, production, and release through major banks.
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