1 Dollar - Elizabeth II 2019

Weight

9 g

Diameter

25 mm

Thickness

2.5 mm

Material

Aluminium bronze (92% Copper, 6% Aluminium, 2% Nickel)

Shape

Round

Edge Type

7 shorter smooth segments between 7 reeded segments (11 grooves each)

Technique

Milled

Front design

4th portrait of Queen Elizabeth II facing right wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara

Back design

A Vickers Vimy Aircraft superimposed over a compass.

Year of Minting

2019

Queen

Elizabeth II (1952-2022)

Mint location

Royal Australian Mint , Canberra, Australia (1965-date)

Mint mark

NA

Orientation

Medal alignment ↑↑

Inscriptions

Obverse: ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2019 1 DOLLAR IRB Reverse: THE GREAT AIR RACE 1919 ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA VICKERS VIMY N S CAPT. ROSS M SMITH LT. KIETH M SMITH SGT. WALLY H SHIERS SGT. JIM M BENNETT

Context

This NCLT Aluminium-bronze $1 coin was released by the RAM as part of a set of eight coins. It was issued in a coincard inside a metal tin that resembles part of an aircraft engine. Only 10,000 sets will be issued at AU$130.00 per set. The eight coin set is commemorating the Centenary of the 'Great Air Race' that took place in 1919 when seven different aircrews and their aircraft attempted to be the first to fly between England and Australia in less than 30 Days. A prize of £10,000 was announced by Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes for the first Australian crew to make it home in a British-built plane. This is a map of the route taken. This particular coin depicts the aircraft flown by the four man crew of Captain Ross Smith with his brother Keith Smith as Navigator, plus mechanics Wally Sheirs & Jim Bennett. They were always going to be the team to beat. The weather report at Hounslow on 12 November 1919 said 'totally unfit for flying'. Ross Smith took off anyway - determined to catch Frenchman Etienne Poulet. The Vickers Vimy flew through snowstorms, downpours and howling gales, and was saved in Surabaya by villagers who made a runway from the woven bamboo walls of their homes. The Vimy crew landed in Darwin on 10 December 1919, claiming the £10,000 prize. This is the front & back of the coincard it was issued in. Also released as a PNC by Australia Post with a privy mark on the coin of an envelope at the top right hand side of the coin. Issued on 1/10/2019 (7,000 copies) See example below for picture of this privymarked coin. Australia Post also released this PNC with slightly different colouring and gold foil printing of the ANDA logo for the Sydney Money Expo. The postmark date was also changed to coincide with the Expo.

Rarity

Rare

Coin type

Non-circulating

In circulation

Yes

Demonetized

No

Marketplace listings

0