Australian Queen Elizabeth Coins Spark Mixed Reactions Over Portrait Design
February 7, 2026
Australia has released two silver coins to mark Queen Elizabeth II's birth centenary, but some collectors say the queen's portrait does not look like her. The $5 and 50-cent coins were made by the Royal Australian Mint and sold via an online ballot that ended on Wednesday. On social media, collectors compared the portrait to characters like Mrs Doubtfire, Mrs Brown, and Shrek. The Mint defended the design, saying, "Our coin images don’t always capture the full beauty of a design once it’s etched in metal." The front of the coins shows a front-facing picture of the late queen, surrounded by symbols important to her life such as horses, corgis, theatre, art, and her favorite flowers—roses and lily of the valley. Some collectors commented that the portrait "doesn’t even look remotely like her," while others called it "awesome" and "beautiful." Australian media reported that the silver proof coins have sold out, with only limited stocks left at the Mint's contact centre and shop. The Mint created 30,000 of the 50c coins and 5,000 of the $5 coins, all collector's items that will not enter public circulation. The reverse side of the coins features a profile portrait of King Charles, the queen's son.
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Tags:
Australian Coins
Queen Elizabeth Ii
Royal Australian Mint
Coin Controversy
Collectors
King charles
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