Currency Determination No. 15 of 1993

The Determination uses a common template applied to each coin denomination. Each clause defines the following core design and technical concepts:

• Composition: the standard alloy or metal composition for the coin is stated in each clause (for example cl 4(1) for the 50 cent coin specifies a standard composition including copper and nickel; cl 5(1) for one $1 variant specifies copper, aluminium and nickel; cls 6-7 specify 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal for $1 variants; cl 8(1) aluminium/copper/nickel for a $5, cl 9(1) austenitic stainless steel with copper, aluminium and nickel, and cls 10-11 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal for $10 variants). Each composition is the textual standard to be followed.

• Shape: the overall external outline of the coin is prescribed (for example, the 50 cent coin is dodecahedral, cl 4(2); most others are circular, cls 5(2), 6(2), 7(2), 8(2), 9(2), 10(2), 11(2)).

• Edge treatment: each clause sets the edge form (plain, milled, segmented with alternating plain/milled segments, etc). Examples include cl 4(3) plain edge for the 50 cent coin; cl 5(3) an edge consisting of 14 segments (7 milled and 7 plain); cl 6(3) milled edge; cl 7(3) 14 segments with 7 plain and 7 "milted" (textual typo reproduced in source); cl 8(3) milled; cl 9(3) milled; cls 10-11(3) milled.

• Standard weight and permitted variation: each coin has a standard weight and an allowed tolerance stated in numeric terms (for example cl 4(4) 15.55 grams with a permitted variation of 0.40 grams at cl 4(5); cl 5(4) 9.00 grams and cl 5(5) states “A variation of 0.28 millimetres from the standard weight is allowed” , an internal units inconsistency in the text). Other clauses similarly state weights and tolerances (see cls 6-11).

• Diameter and thickness: numeric millimetre dimensions are provided for diameter and thickness in each clause (for example cl 4(6) diameter 31.65 mm and cl 4(7) thickness 2.80 mm; others analogue).

• Obverse and reverse design elements and inscriptions: every clause specifies the obverse content (an effigy of the Queen and inscriptions “ELIZABETH II”, “AUSTRALIA” and “1994”, in most clauses: see cl 4(8); cl 5(8); cl 6(8); cl 7(8); cl 8(8)(a) contains a textual error “art effigy” in the source) and specifies reverse imagery and inscriptions (for example cl 4(9) reverse: abstract family representation, International Year of the Family logo, inscriptions “50 CENTS”, “AUSTRALIA” and “1994”; cl 8(9) reverse: Mary Lee and inscriptions “WOMEN’S ENFRANCHISEMENT S.A.”, “1894” “1994” and “5 DOLLARS”).

• Multiple variants for a denomination: the Determination explicitly provides for multiple design/composition variants within the same face value. Notably, there are three distinct $1 coin clauses (cls 5-7) with differing compositions, edge specifications and weights; two $5 coin clauses (cls 8-9) with different metal compositions and substantially different weights and diameters; and two $10 coin clauses (cls 10-11) with identical obverse/reverse motifs but different weights and thicknesses. The instrument therefore contemplates parallel authorised coin types within a single denomination.

• Non-derogation clause: clause 3 makes explicit that this Determination “does not affect any other determination of the specifications or design of a coin,” so the instrument is drafted to coexist with prior or later determinations.

• Formalities and timing: commencement clauses (cl 2) and the signature/recital record the formal legal execution of the instrument. The instrument relies on the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 for gazettal and commencement of unspecified remainder.

These are the core concepts the instrument uses to translate statutory power into precise, technical prescriptions. The Determination is principally technical and normative about form rather than procedural or fiscal about minting, distribution, pricing, legal tender status or manufacture contracts.

The Determination is a specification instrument issued under the Currency Act 1965 and, on its face, affects the universe of actors who are responsible for producing and regulating Australian coinage. The instrument itself records that it was made under s 13A(1) of the Currency Act (recital) and was made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer acting for the Treasurer (the signature block). Within the text, there are no express references to the Royal Australian Mint, banks, retailers, or private manufacturers; however the Determination’s content plainly targets parties who implement coin production and official issuance, because it prescribes the exact technical attributes required to constitute the authorised physical coin.

The following classes of actors are therefore engaged by the Determination insofar as the text sets technical parameters:

• The maker(s) of coinage: the instrument prescribes composition, weight tolerances, edge, diameter and design inscriptions (see cls 4-11). Entities tasked under the Currency Act to fabricate and strike coins are the operational addressees of those technical requirements. The Determination does not name the parties, but those performing minting must observe the specifications in the relevant clauses.

• Designers and die-makers: the specified obverse and reverse imagery and inscriptions (for example cl 4(8)-(9), cl 8(9)) are instructions for sculptors, die engravers and designers charged with producing master dies consistent with the Determination.

• Cash-handling entities and custodians of currency: banks, armoured-carriers, casinos, vending machine operators, cash recyclers and merchants who process or sort coin may be affected in practice, because different weights, diameters and edges will influence machine settings and acceptance parameters. The Determination provides the precise dimensions and tolerances (see, for example, cl 4(4)-(7), cl 5(4)-(7), cl 8(4)-(7)) that mechanical acceptance systems would need to accommodate. The instrument itself does not impose duties on those entities, but it establishes the physical reality they will encounter.

• Collectors, numismatists and assayers: because the Determination authorises coin designs and compositions (including precious-metal variants at 92.5% silver, see cls 6-7 and 10-11), it is relevant to collectors and assayers determining provenance, composition and legal authorisation. The instrument provides the authoritative technical description necessary to identify authorised specimens.

• Regulatory and record-keeping offices: the Department of the Treasury or other bodies responsible for coin issuance must manage record-keeping and ensure that production aligns with the clauses. The instrument itself records commencement dates that those offices must observe (cl 2).

The instrument does not, in its text, set out direct obligations for businesses or members of the public beyond prescribing coin specifications. It also contains clause 3 which preserves other determinations, indicating that parties reliant on other specification instruments should read this Determination together with existing instruments rather than as a replacement.

The Determination does not specify minting quantities, procurement pathways, costs or distribution mechanisms, nor does it mention legal-tender value or tender limits within the instrument text itself. Such matters, if relevant to affected parties, must be found in other statutory or administrative material; they are not set out in the clauses provided.

The Determination is primarily a prescriptive technical instrument; it does not create broad statutory rights or a schedule of duties for the general public. The key operative effects within the text are the prescriptive duties on whoever is charged, under the Currency Act framework, with producing and issuing coinage to adhere to the specifications listed. The instrument makes that prescriptive content explicit through clause structure: composition, shape, edge, weight and tolerance, diameter, thickness, and obverse/reverse artwork elements for each listed denomination (see, as examples, cl 4 for the 50 cent coin and cl 8 for a $5 coin).

From the instrument itself the following are the principal duties and entitlements that flow:

• Duty to adhere to the stated physical specifications: for each coin-type listed, that coin must meet the standard composition and measurement parameters as set out in the relevant clause. For example, for the 50 cent coin cl 4 requires a standard weight of 15.55 grams with a permitted variation of 0.40 grams (cl 4(4)-(5)), a diameter of 31.65 mm (cl 4(6)) and an obverse bearing an effigy of the Queen with inscriptions specified in cl 4(8).

• Duty to adopt prescribed obverse and reverse designs and inscriptions: each clause prescribes what must appear on the obverse and reverse (for example cl 8(9) requires a portrait of Mary Lee with specified inscriptions, and cl 10(9) requires a representation of the Wedge-Tailed Eagle and the inscription “TEN DOLLARS”).

• The Determination preserves existing specification instruments: clause 3 states that “This Determination does not affect any other determination of the specifications or design of a coin.” That clause functions as a non-derogation provision; it imposes an obligation on a reader/deployer to treat this instrument as coexisting with other determinations rather than replacing them.

• Timetable duties: the commencement clause (cl 2) imposes an administrative duty to observe staged commencements: for instance, production or enforcement of the provisions of clause 4 can only occur from 14 January 1994, clause 5 provisions apply from 23 December 1993, and clauses 6-11 only from 17 February 1994; the remainder is effective on gazettal per Acts Interpretation Act (see cl 2 and the note). That staging is a temporal constraint for anyone implementing or relying on the Determination’s specifications.

Rights are not directly articulated by the instrument. The Determination does not, in its text, grant private parties explicit rights to produce coins or to challenge production; those rights (if any) would derive from the Currency Act or other administrative arrangements not reproduced in this instrument. The instrument also does not articulate rights of legal tender or limits on circulation; it confines itself to the physical specifications and design statements.

Notably absent are any clauses creating enforcement duties, compliance reporting obligations, inspection rights, certification requirements, design copyright allocations, licensing regimes or procurement terms. The Determination is silent on mechanisms for verification or certification of compliance with the physical specifications it prescribes.

The Determination contains no express penalty, enforcement mechanism, administrative sanction, or enforcement agency designation. There are no provisions in the text that specify fines, criminal offences, inspection regimes, certification processes, or remedial pathways for non‑conforming coins. The instrument is limited to prescription of technical characteristics (composition, dimensions, inscriptions) and commencement dates (see cls 2 and 4-11).

Given that silence, the Determination must be read in its statutory context to identify legal consequences for non-compliance. The instrument itself refers to the Currency Act 1965 in the recital (the power under which it is made, subsection 13A(1)), but the text does not reproduce or paraphrase any enforcement provisions from that Act. Therefore, any penalties, criminal sanctions, or enforcement options relevant to non-conforming coin production, distribution, or counterfeiting are not contained within the Determination. They would, if they exist, be found in the parent statute (the Currency Act 1965) or other related criminal, customs, or counterfeiting statutes; the Determination does not create or repeat them.

In practice, the absence of internal enforcement provisions in the Determination means:

• Compliance monitoring and enforcement are not defined here. The Determination does not state who will inspect mint output or how conformity will be certified.

• Sanctions, if any, must be sought in the enabling legislation or elsewhere because the Determination does not itself provide for them. The instrument records only the specifications to be followed.

• The Determination’s non-derogation clause (cl 3) suggests it is not meant to displace other instruments; correspondingly, enforcement may be governed by a broader regulatory framework that the Determination does not replicate.

Readers should therefore treat the Determination as a technical specification document and not as a self-contained regulatory enforcement code. For concrete enforcement mechanisms, statutory offences, or administrative powers, one must look to the Currency Act itself and related criminal statutes; those instruments are not reproduced here and are therefore not within the express text of this Determination.

The Determination establishes its place in the legal hierarchy and commencement framework by explicit reference to enabling and interpretive law. The preamble records that the Determination was made under subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965, which identifies the statutory source of the power to determine coin specifications; however, the Determination itself does not reproduce the text of s 13A(1). For interpretation of commencement, the instrument references the Acts Interpretation Act 1901: the instrument notes that the “remainder of this Determination commences on Gazettal: see Acts Interpretation Act 1901, ss. 46A and 48” (cl 2 note). That ties the instrument into the general rules for commencement of statutory instruments.

Clause 3 explicitly addresses interaction with other subordinate instruments: “This Determination does not affect any other determination of the specifications or design of a coin.” That clause is an internal limiting provision preserving other determinations made under the Currency Act. The practical implication in legal terms is that this Determination is to be read alongside other determinations rather than as an amendment or replacement of them. Therefore where overlapping or alternative specifications exist in other determinations, the legal regime requires contemporaneous reading rather than automatic supplanting.

Beyond those express textual references, the Determination is silent on interaction with:

• Criminal law (counterfeiting and currency offences): the Determination does not address criminal liability or procedures for counterfeit detection. Any interplay with criminal sanctions must be sought in the Currency Act or criminal statutes, which are not reproduced in the Determination.

• Procurement, public finance and appropriation law: the Determination does not set minting quantities, costs, or budget authorisations. Relationship to procurement rules, contracts with minting entities, or appropriation law is not addressed in the text.

• Intellectual property and artist rights: the Determination prescribes images and inscriptions but does not allocate copyright, commissioning rights, or licensing; any interaction with IP laws or artist commissioning agreements is not covered.

• Machine acceptance standards and consumer protection: while the Determination provides the technical dimensions and tolerances (for example cl 4(4)-(7)), it does not reference standards for vending machines, cash-handling equipment, or merchant acceptance obligations. Any interoperability or acceptance issues must be dealt with under other commercial or technical standards, not in this Determination.

• International obligations: the Determination makes no reference to foreign law, treaties, foreign exchange control or international standards; it is a domestic specification instrument.

In short, the Determination situates itself as a subordinate specification made under the Currency Act and interpreted under the Acts Interpretation Act for commencement. It preserves other coin-design determinations and otherwise leaves enforcement, criminal consequences, procurement, intellectual property allocation and broader regulatory interactions to be addressed outside the instrument.

The text presented is Currency Determination No. 15 of 1993 as made on 17 December 1993 and signed by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer (the front matter). The instrument records several commencement dates within cl 2:

• Clause 4 (50 cent coin specifications) commences on 14 January 1994 (cl 2(1)).

• Clause 5 (one $1 variant) commences on 23 December 1993 (cl 2(2)).

• Clauses 6 to 11 inclusive (additional $1 variants, $5 and $10 variants) commence on 17 February 1994 (cl 2(3)).

• A note appended to cl 2 indicates the remainder of the Determination commences on gazettal under the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, ss 46A and 48. That means any clause not already tied to a specific commencement date becomes effective on the date of gazettal, per the interpretive provisions of the Acts Interpretation Act, unless otherwise specified.

The Determination contains no express amending provisions. It does not repeal prior determinations, nor does it state that it replaces, modifies or varies any earlier numbered Determination. Clause 3 expressly states that the instrument “does not affect any other determination of the specifications or design of a coin,” which suggests that it is intended to coexist with earlier or contemporaneous determinations rather than to amend them.

Within the text as presented there are no subsequent amendments, notations, repeal clauses, or revocation provisions. If later amendments or revocations exist, they are not contained in the supplied text. Any reader seeking the instrument’s amendment history must therefore consult later legislative or instrument registers, gazette notices, or the repository for subordinate instruments pursuant to the Currency Act and the Orders and Regulations Information Service. The Determination itself contains only the original making date, the staged commencement dates, and the specific clauses as enacted in December 1993.

It is also relevant that the instrument’s non-amendment character may mean multiple contemporaneous Determinations coexist for different coin types; the instrument explicitly preserves such other determinations (cl 3). The text therefore implies an additive amendment posture rather than a replacement posture, but it does not itself record any later additions or repeals.

The Determination as supplied contains no litigation history, case references, judicial interpretations, or notes of dispute. The text does not name any judicial proceedings in which it has been challenged, nor does it contain any references to court decisions or administrative tribunal determinations. There are no footnotes, annotations or marginal notes indicating litigation, declaratory relief, injunctions, or appeals relating to the instrument.

Because the instrument itself does not include litigation history, anyone wishing to identify judicial consideration or legal challenges must search judicial databases, the Federal Court and High Court judgments, and the administrative law record for cases that cite Currency Determination No. 15 of 1993 or its specific clauses. The text provides no internal evidence that any such litigation exists.

Practically, without a record of litigation in the Determination, one cannot infer whether disputes have arisen over:

• Whether the Determination was validly made under s 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965.

• Whether the specified designs and compositions conflict with other determinations or create legal ambiguity.

• Whether errors or typographical inconsistencies in the Determination caused legal disputes in production or acceptance contexts.

None of these hypothetical disputes are recorded in the supplied text. The Determination is silent on litigation; the absence of recorded cases in the instrument means that, within the document itself, there is no adjudicative history to report.

The instrument contains several drafting features and internal inconsistencies that users should note precisely as they appear in the text. These are matters internal to the Determination and are drawn verbatim from its clauses:

• Multiple variants for the same denomination: The Determination authorises more than one variant for the $1 denomination (cls 5-7), for the $5 denomination (cls 8-9), and for the $10 denomination (cls 10-11). The variants differ in composition, weight, thickness, edge specification and sometimes reverse inscriptions. Users must not assume a single canonical specification per denomination; the instrument expressly provides several authorised types. Examine each clause rather than assuming uniformity across denomination headings.

• Drafting errors and typographical inconsistencies in units and wording:

  • Clause 5(5) reads “A variation of 0.28 millimetres from the standard weight is allowed.” The standard weight at cl 5(4) is given as 9.00 grams. A variation expressed in millimetres for a weight metric appears inconsistent with the pattern used elsewhere (see cl 4(5), which specifies grams). The instrument therefore contains a units inconsistency in cl 5(5) as printed.

  • Clause 6(5) repeats the same textual pattern: “A variation of 0.23 millimetres from the standard weight is allowed,” while the standard weight at cl 6(4) is 11.49 grams. Again there is an inconsistency between the unit of measurement and the parameter being described.

  • Clause 7(3) uses the word “milted” (7(3) “7 are plain and 7 are milted”), which appears to be a typographical error for “milled” or “milled/plain” as used elsewhere. That variant spelling should be noted as a potential source of interpretive confusion.

  • Clause 8(8)(a) reads “art effigy of the Queen” rather than “an effigy of the Queen,” and the preceding quotation marks are mismatched in that clause’s inscriptions line. Such typographical errors exist elsewhere in punctuation and quotation marks across the instrument (for instance missing or inconsistent closing quotation marks). The drafting therefore contains minor textual errors.

  • Clause 9(5) ends with a comma and a line break before the remainder of the clause; minor punctuation issues appear in several clauses.

• Repeated clause headings: The heading “Specifications and design of a $1 coin” appears three times (cls 5, 6 and 7). Two of those $1 clauses (6 and 7) are both described as 92.5% silver compositions but differ in edge description (cl 6(3) “edge is milled” versus cl 7(3) segments) and in segment ordering; users should compare each clause line by line rather than rely on heading alone.

• Duplicate reverse inscriptions but different physical parameters: For the $10 coin there are two clauses (10 and 11) both requiring the Wedge-Tailed Eagle reverse and the inscription “TEN DOLLARS” yet these two clauses specify different standard weights and thicknesses (cl 10(4) weight 40.00 grams, thickness 5.10 mm; cl 11(4) weight 20.00 grams, thickness 2.90 mm). That means two materially different coin types are authorised with identical reverse imagery. Users should not assume identical composition or physical feel across identically inscribed coins.

• Non-derogation clause effect: Clause 3’s statement that the Determination “does not affect any other determination of the specifications or design of a coin” means the instrument is not a tidy consolidation but rather an additive direction. Practically that can cause confusion where multiple determinations apply to the same denomination; compliance requires cross-referencing all relevant determinations.

• Silence on enforcement and ancillary matters: The Determination is silent on approval procedures for dies, testing protocols for weight tolerance conformity, labelling of legal tender status and minting quantities. Parties who need operational guidance must look outside this instrument for procedural rules.

• Dates and dating: The obverse inscriptions in many clauses require “1994” whereas some reverse inscriptions include both “1984” and “1994” (for example cl 5(9)(b) lists inscriptions “1984” and “1994”). Where two dates are used on the reverse while the obverse has a single date, the instrument authorises that combination expressly; do not assume circular uniformity.

These are textual and structural “gotchas” created by the Determination itself. They are important for practitioners to note because they directly affect manufacture, identification and interpretation of authorised coin specimens and because typographical or unit inconsistencies can create ambiguity in technical compliance.

Compliance with this Determination is operationally straightforward to the extent that the instrument provides precise technical parameters, but must be undertaken with care because the Determination contains multiple authorised variants for single denominations and several typographical inconsistencies. The following is a practical checklist, tied to specific clauses, for a party responsible for implementing the Determination’s requirements (for example, a mint, die-maker, assay house, or procurement official):

1. Identify the relevant clause(s) for the denomination and variant to be produced. Do not rely on the clause heading alone; read the full clause text. For example, $1 coins may be authorised under cl 5, cl 6, and cl 7; choose the clause that corresponds to the intended composition and edge specification (see cls 5-7).

2. Observe the commencement dates set out in clause 2. Only implement the production or issuance of a clause’s coins on or after its commencement date: cl 4 from 14 January 1994, cl 5 from 23 December 1993, and cls 6-11 from 17 February 1994. The remainder commences on gazettal pursuant to the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (cl 2 and the note). Ensure documentation of production dates aligns with these statutory commencement dates.

3. Apply the exact metal composition wording in the clause. For example, a $1 silver variant is specified as “92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal” (cls 6-7). Where composition is a specified alloy (for example cl 9(1) austenitic stainless steel, copper, aluminium and nickel), procure materials and assay to that specification.

4. Respect the dimensional parameters and tolerances. For each coin, set tooling and die specifications to the standard weight and permitted variation, diameter and thickness stated in the clause (for example cl 4(4)-(7) for the 50 cent coin). Note and resolve unit inconsistencies: cl 5(5) and cl 6(5) state permitted variations in “millimetres” while the context is weight; confirm the intended unit with the issuing authority before physical production to avoid non-compliance.

5. Implement the edge specification precisely. Edges are described as plain, milled, or segmented with a specified number of milled/plain segments (for example cl 5(3): 14 segments with 7 milled and 7 plain). Where the clause contains a typographical variant (cl 7(3) uses “milted”), seek authoritative clarification from the issuing authority prior to manufacture.

6. Produce obverse and reverse dies matching the graphic and inscription instructions verbatim. The text prescribes obverse and reverse content for each coin (for example cl 8(9) requires a representation of Mary Lee and specified inscriptions). Ensure the inscriptions’ wording, case and punctuation match the clause text. Where the clause contains typographical errors (for example cl 8(8)(a) “art effigy”), confirm the intended wording with the issuer.

7. Maintain documentary evidence of conformity. Record measurements, assay certificates and die proofs that demonstrate compliance with the clause’s numeric tolerances and inscriptions. Because the Determination contains no internal enforcement clause, documentary conformity will be necessary to demonstrate compliance to external regulators or procuring agencies.

8. Cross-reference other determinations. Clause 3 explicitly preserves other determinations; check for earlier or contemporaneous determinations that may apply to the same denomination or that specify complementary procedural or legal requirements (cl 3). Treat this Determination as one element of the legal specification regime.

9. Seek clarification on ambiguous or inconsistent items prior to production. The instrument contains multiple instances of likely typographical or unit errors (see “Gotchas”). Because those errors could result in non-conforming product, obtain formal written directions from the issuing authority under the Currency Act before stamping or distributing coins.

10. Consider downstream acceptance and machine calibration. Because the Determination prescribes differing weights, diameters and edge types across authorised variants, coordinate with vending machine manufacturers, cash-handling equipment providers and commercial sorting facilities to ensure acceptance parameters are modified as necessary. The Determination itself does not require such coordination, but practical compliance with circulation depends on interoperability.

11. For precious-metal issues, implement assay and hallmarking consistent with the composition statements. The instrument authorises 92.5% silver variants (for example cl 6(1)), so ensure assay and, if applicable, hallmarking or packaging for collector issues reflect the authorised alloy content.

12. Retain legal and procurement documents referencing the Determination. Because the instrument contains no enforcement mechanism or rights allocations, contracts and procurement orders should reference the clause numbers being complied with to provide contractual certainty.

Finally, because the Determination is silent on enforcement and other regulatory matters, if parties are unsure about legal effects, tender status, or penalty exposure, they should obtain authoritative legal advice and, where necessary, a formal written interpretation or instruction from the Treasury officer responsible for coinage under the Currency Act before proceeding with large-scale production or distribution.