Damon Mcknight
The Australian Coat of Arms, also known as the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, is a formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. It is used by Australian government departments, agencies, and authorities. The Coat of Arms features a shield, held up by a kangaroo and an emu, containing symbols of Australia's six states. The seven-pointed Commonwealth Star above the shield represents the states and territories, while the golden wattle, the national floral emblem, appears below the shield. The Coat of Arms can be found on various official documents, as well as postage stamps, and its usage is regulated by the government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First granted | 7 May 1908 |
| Granted by | King Edward VII |
| Current version granted | 19 September 1912 |
| Current version granted by | King George V |
| Used by | Australian Government departments and agencies, statutory and non-statutory authorities, the Parliament and Commonwealth courts and tribunals |
| Features | A shield, containing symbols of Australia's six states, held up by a kangaroo and an emu; a seven-pointed Commonwealth Star; golden wattle; a scroll with the word 'Australia' |
| Symbolises | Commonwealth authority and ownership; national unity |
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What You'll Learn
The Australian coat of arms is found on postage stamps
The first arms were authorised by King Edward VII on 7 May 1908, and the current version was authorised by King George V on 19 September 1912. The 1908 version continued to be used in some contexts, notably appearing on the reverse of the sixpenny coin. The coat of arms is a formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia and signifies Commonwealth authority and ownership. It is used by Australian Government departments and agencies, statutory and non-statutory authorities, the Parliament, and Commonwealth courts and tribunals.
The coat of arms is also found on postage stamps. The 1d Coat of Arms stamp, New South Wales Scott 98, has two die varieties: die I and die II. In die I, the pearl on the far left of the crown is merged with the arch of the crown, while in die II, the pearl is separate and distinct. These varieties are not rare or valuable, but they will still take some observational skill to add to a collection.
The coat of arms is also featured on the 100th Anniversary issue stamps from New South Wales. The four stamps in this issue include a 1d violet View of Sydney stamp, a 2d blue Emu stamp, a 4d brown Captain Cook stamp, and a 1-shilling maroon Kangaroo stamp.
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It is used by Australian government departments and agencies
The Australian coat of arms, also known as the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, is used by Australian government departments and agencies as a formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. It signifies Commonwealth authority and ownership. The coat of arms is also used by statutory and non-statutory authorities, the Parliament, and Commonwealth courts and tribunals.
The coat of arms was first granted by King Edward VII on 7 May 1908 and was later modified and officially granted by King George V on 19 September 1912. The 1912 version of the coat of arms was designed to address criticisms of the 1908 version, which did not include specific references to the states.
The coat of arms features a shield that combines the badges of the six Australian states: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. The shield is supported by two native Australian animals, the kangaroo and the emu, which symbolise a nation moving forward, as neither animal can move backward easily.
The seven-pointed Commonwealth Star sits above the shield, with six points representing the six Australian states and the seventh point representing the territories. The national floral emblem, the golden wattle, appears below the shield, along with a scroll containing the word "Australia". The colours gold and blue are used as the identifying colours of the coat of arms.
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It is on the reverse of the sixpence coin
The Australian coat of arms, officially the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, was found on the reverse of the sixpence coin. The sixpence coin was Australia's pre-decimal currency and was identical to British currency in weight and size. The sixpence was first minted in 1910 in London and circulated until the decimalisation of Australian currency in 1966. The final sixpence was minted in 1963 in Melbourne.
The coat of arms features a shield, derived from the Australian coat of arms, which is supported by a kangaroo and an emu. The seven-pointed star as the crest and the words 'Advance Australia' on the scroll underneath are also included in the design. The shield depicts symbols of Australia's six states, with each quarter containing a representation of the badge of an Australian state. The kangaroo and emu symbolise progress and the nation moving forward as neither animal can easily walk backwards.
The sixpence coin is the only coin out of all pre-decimal coinage whose reverse was not altered. This is considered surprising as the 1908 coat of arms symbol was changed in 1912 within Australia and was obsolete for most of the pre-decimal currency period. The new version of the coat of arms did not appear in the correct form until the 1966 50-cent piece.
The sixpence coin was designed by William Henry James Blakemore (1871-1945), an English engraver and medallist at the Royal Mint London. The first arms were authorised by King Edward VII on 7 May 1908, and the current version was authorised by King George V on 19 September 1912. The sixpence coin, however, continued to use the 1908 version of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms.
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It is found on goods prohibited from being imported
The Australian Coat of Arms, officially the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, is a formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. It depicts a shield, containing symbols of Australia's six states, and is held up by native Australian animals—the kangaroo and the emu.
The Australian government controls the import and export of certain goods to and from Australia. The import of goods bearing the Australian Coat of Arms is prohibited under the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations. This means that the Commonwealth Coat of Arms cannot be used on commercial clothing, souvenirs, or other everyday items.
The Arms are reserved for use by Australian government departments and agencies, statutory and non-statutory authorities, the Parliament, and Commonwealth courts and tribunals. Senators and Federal Members of the Australian Parliament may also use the Arms in the course of their duties as Parliamentarians. The coat of arms should never be used where it could imply a formal guarantee, sponsorship, or endorsement by the Commonwealth.
Use of the Arms by private citizens or organisations is rarely permitted, but there are provisions for use by sporting bodies and in educational publications. For example, the Arms appear on the uniforms of the Australian Olympic Team and the Matildas.
The use of the Arms on Australian currency and coins is an authorised use. For instance, the 1908 Coat of Arms appeared on the reverse of the sixpenny coin.
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It is used by Australian teams competing internationally
The Australian coat of arms, also known as the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, is a formal symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia. It is used by Australian government departments, agencies, statutory and non-statutory authorities, the Parliament, and Commonwealth courts and tribunals. It is also used by Australian teams competing in international competitions.
The coat of arms has been used by Australian cricket teams in the traditional multi-day form of the game. The men's and women's teams have worn the coat of arms on their hats, also known as the "baggy green" national cap.
The Australian coat of arms has also appeared on Australian coinage. The 1908 coat of arms appeared on the reverse of the sixpenny coin, and since decimalisation in 1966, the current coat of arms has been featured on the reverse of both variants of the 50-cent coin.
The coat of arms is a symbol of the Commonwealth of Australia and signifies Commonwealth authority and ownership. It depicts a shield, which contains symbols of Australia's six states, and is held up by native Australian animals—the kangaroo and the emu. The seven-pointed Commonwealth Star above the crest represents the states and territories, while golden wattle, the national floral emblem, appears below the shield.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian coat of arms is found on official government documents, as well as those of statutory and non-statutory authorities, the Parliament, and Commonwealth courts and tribunals.
The kangaroo and emu are depicted as holding up the shield, which is the focal point of the coat of arms.
The word "Australia" is found on a scroll at the base of the coat of arms.
The crest of the coat of arms consists of a seven-pointed gold star on a blue and gold wreath.
The shield is the central feature of the coat of arms and contains symbols of Australia's six states.
