
The Australian dollar is divided into 100 cents, with the 10-cent coin being the second-lowest denomination in circulation since the withdrawal of the one and two-cent coins in 1992. Designed by Stuart Devlin, the 10-cent coin features a male superb lyrebird on its reverse and has gone through several design changes on its obverse since its introduction in 1966, featuring the head of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of 10-cent coins in a dollar | 10 |
| Total cents in a dollar | 100 |
| Other coin denominations | 5 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, 1 dollar, 2 dollars |
| Note denominations | $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 |
| Image on the reverse of the 10-cent coin | Male superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae) |
| Designer of the reverse of the 10-cent coin | Stuart Devlin |
| Obverse design (1966-1984) | Head of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia by Arnold Machin |
| Obverse design (1985-1998) | Head of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia by Raphael Maklouf |
| Obverse design (1999-2015, 2017) | Head of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia by Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Obverse design (since 2019) | Head of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia by Jody Clark |
| Obverse design (2016) | G. K. Gray |
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What You'll Learn

100 cents make a dollar in Australia
The Australian dollar is the official currency of Australia and its external territories: Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Norfolk Island. It is also the official currency of Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu. The Australian dollar was introduced as a decimal currency on 14 February 1966, replacing the non-decimal Australian pound. The conversion rate was set at two dollars for every Australian pound.
The Australian dollar is subdivided into 100 cents. In 1902, a select committee of the House of Representatives recommended that Australia adopt a single, national decimal currency, with a pound divided into ten florins and each florin comprising 100 cents. However, this recommendation was not initially acted upon. In 1937, a banking royal commission recommended that Australia adopt a decimal coinage system based on the division of the Australian pound into 1000 parts, but this proposal was also not accepted.
Coins in Australia are produced by the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra. When the Australian dollar was introduced, coins were issued in denominations of 1 and 2 cents (bronze); 5, 10, and 20 cents (cupronickel); and 50 cents (silver, later cupronickel). 1 and 2 cent coins were eventually discontinued in 1991 and withdrawn from circulation in 1992. Today, the coin denominations in use are 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, 1 dollar, and 2 dollars.
The 100-cent subdivision of the Australian dollar allows for more precise and flexible transactions and calculations when dealing with smaller denominations of currency. Cents are commonly used for buying small items and are often used in transactions involving coins or fractional monetary values.
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10-cent coins were introduced in 1966
The Australian dollar is divided into 100 cents, with 10 cents making a dollar in Australia. The 10-cent coins were introduced in 1966, along with the 5-cent and 20-cent coins. These denominations were chosen because they had exact pre-decimal equivalents in the sixpence, shilling, and florin. The introduction of the decimal currency system in Australia occurred on 14 February 1966, when the Australian dollar was introduced as half of an Australian pound.
The 10-cent coin was designed by Stuart Devlin, who designed the reverses of all of the coins of the Australian dollar introduced that year. The reverse of the coin features the image of a male superb lyrebird (*Menura novaehollandiae*), with the denomination numeral "10" above its head. The obverse has featured different designs of the head of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, with the inscription "AUSTRALIA" and the year of issue on the right and "ELIZABETH II" on the left. The original reverse design of the lyrebird has not been changed since the introduction of the coin, although the obverse design was altered in 2016 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of decimal currency.
The first issue of ten-cent coins in 1966 was produced at the Royal Mint in London, with 30 million coins minted. Additionally, 11 million coins were produced at the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra that same year. Since then, all coins have been produced in Canberra, except for 1981 when production was supplemented by the Royal Mint's new headquarters in Llantrisant, Wales. The Canberra mint struck 10,984,000 ten-cent pieces in 1966, after C-day.
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10-cent coins feature a male lyrebird
There are 100 cents in one Australian dollar. The 10-cent coin is a denomination of the decimal Australian dollar, which was introduced in 1966.
The 10-cent coins feature a male superb lyrebird (*Menura novaehollandiae*) on their reverse, designed by Stuart Devlin. Devlin designed the reverses of all Australian dollar coins introduced in 1966. The lyrebird design has remained unchanged since its introduction. The obverse design of the 10-cent coin has featured different versions of the head of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, over the years. The inscription "AUSTRALIA" and the year of issue appear on the right side of the obverse, with "ELIZABETH II" on the left.
The 10-cent coin was one of Australia's first decimal coinage denominations when it was introduced in February 1966. The coin inherited the specifications of the pre-decimal shilling, which was worth one-twentieth of a pound and was called a "bob." The 10-cent coin has been produced in relatively large numbers, with an annual average mintage of over 47.5 million. However, there are some low-mintage dates worth noting, such as the 1997 Mint Set, which was issued in small quantities.
The Royal Australian Mint's quality control and state-of-the-art equipment make 10-cent errors rare, but they do occur and can be valuable to collectors. These errors include incorrect planchets, planchet mistakes, blanks, brockages, off-centre strikes, double strikes, and upset dies. The rarity of a coin can play a key role in its monetary value, so collectors should keep an eye out for these errors and low-mintage dates in their change.
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1 and 2 cent coins are no longer in circulation
The Australian dollar is divided into 100 cents. While coin denominations include 5c, 10c, 20c, and 50c, 1 and 2 cent coins are no longer in circulation as of February 1992.
The decision to remove the 1 and 2 cent coins was confirmed by the Treasurer in a Budget Speech on 21 August 1990. The removal was due to inflation reducing the value of the coins, and the high cost of minting. In 1990, New Zealand also removed their 1 and 2 cent pieces from circulation. The United Kingdom and Ireland also changed their bronze coins to copper-plated steel.
Despite being withdrawn, the 1 and 2 cent coins are still considered legal tender. This means that they can be used to purchase goods and can be deposited with financial institutions. After the coins were removed from circulation, some were melted down and recycled for new purposes. For example, the Bronze medals awarded at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games were made from the recycled 1 and 2 cent coins.
Although the 1 and 2 cent coins are no longer in circulation, many shops in Australia sell products at odd amounts. However, the law provides that the total bill must be rounded up or down to the nearest 5 cents. For example, $19.97 becomes $19.95, and $19.98 becomes $20.00.
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10-cent coins are the second-lowest denomination
The Australian dollar is divided into 100 cents, with the 10-cent coin being one of the country's first decimal coinage denominations, introduced in 1966. It is the descendant of the British shilling, with the same dimensions, mass, and value. The 10-cent coin inherited the specifications of the pre-decimal shilling when the Australian dollar was introduced as half of an Australian pound. The coin is worth one-twentieth of a pound and is nicknamed a "bob".
The 10-cent coin is the second-lowest denomination in circulation in Australia. The one and two cent coins were withdrawn from circulation in 1992, leaving the five-cent coin as the lowest denomination. The 10-cent coin has been produced in relatively large numbers, with an annual average mintage of over 47.5 million. However, there are some low mintage dates that are considered rare, such as the 1997 10-cent coin, which was produced in a limited number and is now worth significantly more than its face value.
The 10-cent coin features a male superb lyrebird on the reverse, designed by Stuart Devlin, who designed the reverses of all Australian coins introduced in 1966. Devlin's design has not been changed since its introduction. The obverse of the coin has featured different designs of the head of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, with the current design, since 2019, by Jody Clark. The obverse also includes the inscription "AUSTRALIA" and the year of issue on the right-hand side and "ELIZABETH II" on the left.
The production cost of a 10-cent coin is higher than its face value. Despite this, the coin remains in circulation and is a common denomination in Australia. The 10-cent coin is also sought after by collectors due to its low mintage dates and potential errors, which can make certain coins extremely valuable.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 100 cents in one dollar in Australia, so it would take 10 10-cent coins to make a dollar.
The Australian 10-cent coin features the image of a male superb lyrebird on its reverse, designed by Stuart Devlin. The obverse has featured different designs of the head of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia.
The Australian 10-cent coin was introduced on 14 February 1966, along with the decimal Australian dollar.
As of 2022, the production cost of a 10-cent coin was confirmed to be more than its face value by the Royal Australian Mint's CEO.











































