Currency Determination No. 2 of 1994

The core legal and technical concepts in this Determination are specification, design, composition and tolerances. The instrument operates by describing physical and visual attributes that a coin must have, set out by denomination and by variant within each denomination. These concepts appear repeatedly across clauses 4 to 7.

Specification, in this instrument, means measurable physical attributes. For every coin type the Determination specifies shape, edge type, standard weight, permitted variation from the standard weight, diameter and thickness. For example, for the $1 silver coins the Determination specifies a circular shape, a standard weight of 31.635 grams with an allowable variation of 0.50 grams, a diameter of 40.60 millimetres and a thickness of 4.00 millimetres (cl 4(2), cl 4(5)-(8)). The $5 coins carry a different set of measurements: standard weight 35.79 grams, allowable variation 0.63 grams, diameter 38.90 millimetres and thickness 3.50 millimetres (cl 5(2), cl 5(4)-(7)). The $10 coins are smaller and lighter: standard weight 20.77 grams, allowable variation 0.50 grams, diameter 34.10 millimetres and thickness 2.90 millimetres (cl 6(2), cl 6(4)-(7)). The $200 gold coin has its own standard weight of 10.00 grams with an allowable variation of 0.06 grams, diameter 24.20 millimetres and thickness 2.00 millimetres (cl 7(2)-(7)).

Design, as used here, includes both the obverse and reverse imagery and the inscriptions to be struck on the faces of the coins. The obverse universally bears an effigy of the Queen and the three inscriptions “ELIZABETH II”, “AUSTRALIA” and “1994” across all specified coins (cl 4(9), cl 5(8), cl 6(8), cl 7(8)). The reverse designs are specific to each variant; for example, the $1 reverses bear a leaping kangaroo and the inscriptions “ONE DOLLAR” and “ONE OUNCE FINE SILVER” (cl 4(10)), whereas the $5 reverses depict named explorers or Antarctic exploration and specify both denomination and geographic identifiers such as “VICTORIA” or “ANTARCTICA” (cl 5(9)-(13)).

Composition is handled in two different ways in this text. For the $1 and $10 silver coins the instrument uses language that sets a minimum purity, instructing that the composition "includes not less than 99.9% silver" (cl 4(1), cl 6(1)). For the $5 coins it provides a fixed composition described as "92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal" (cl 5(1)). The $200 coin’s composition is presented non-textually via images in the provided copy, which obscures the numerical composition from the textual transcription (cl 7(1)).

Tolerance is an explicit technical concept. For each standard weight there is an allowed variation: 0.50 grams for the $1 coins (cl 4(6)), 0.63 grams for the $5 coins (cl 5(5)), 0.50 grams for the $10 coins (cl 6(5)), and 0.06 grams for the $200 gold coin (cl 7(5)). The Determination therefore recognises practical manufacturing variance and defines it numerically.

Other recurring specifics are edge treatment and inscriptional exactness. Edges are either milled, plain, or segmented; the $1 second variant has a segmented edge with 12 segments alternating between six coarse-milled and six plain segments (cl 4(3)-(4)). All $5 coins are milled edged (cl 5(3)). The $10 coins have plain edges (cl 6(3)). The $200 coin’s edge is milled (cl 7(3)).

Finally, the Determination contains procedural and formal devices. It is dated, signed and cites its authority under the Currency Act (preamble; s 1). It also expressly preserves other determinations of coin specification and design (s 3), indicating that the instrument modifies or supplements rather than supersedes prior determinations.

The Determination itself does not name a list of affected parties, but its provisions are directly relevant to any entity responsible for producing Australian coins dated 1994 in the denominations and metal compositions specified. The instrument sets the technical requirements that a minter must meet when producing the particular coins described in clauses 4 to 7. That includes compliance with dimensions, weight tolerances, edge patterns, metal composition, and the imagery and inscriptions to be struck on obverse and reverse faces (cl 4-7).

Because the Determination is made under subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965, the immediate decision-maker named in the instrument is the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer acting for the Treasurer, who made the Determination and dated it 2 May 1994 (preamble). The Determination commenced on 6 May 1994 (s 2). The Determination also declares that it does not affect any other determination of the specifications or design of a coin (s 3), which means that anyone producing coins must consider this Determination alongside any other determinations that remain in force; the Determination itself preserves the existence of those other instruments.

Other classes of affected parties can be identified by the nature of the specifications, even though the instrument does not expressly name them. Those likely to be practically affected include:

• any government body charged with minting or authorising minting of Australian coins, because they must ensure products conform to the technical requirements in cl 4-7 if they are to be the coins described by the Determination; and
• manufacturers contracted by the government to produce the coins, because the weight, alloy composition and die designs demanded by the Determination will be part of production specifications and quality control.

The Determination does not, however, expressly allocate compliance costs or require private persons or businesses (for example, retailers, financial institutions or private purchasers) to do anything. It does not identify who pays for production or distribution and it does not provide for sale or monetisation terms. The instrument also makes no express statement about legal tender status, circulation, marketing, or resale as bullion. Those matters, if relevant, must be inferred from the broader Currency Act or other instruments, but they are not addressed in the text of this Determination.

The content of the Determination also affects designers, die makers and quality inspectors, because the text specifies exact inscriptions and representational elements. For example, each obverse must bear an effigy of the Queen and the inscriptions “ELIZABETH II”, “AUSTRALIA” and “1994” (cl 4(9), cl 5(8), cl 6(8), cl 7(8)). Reverse designs must correspond to named persons, fauna or geographic depictions and bear specified inscriptions (for example cl 5(9)-(13) for the $5 coins). These textual requirements create precise production obligations for artistic and manufacturing work.

Finally, the Determination’s express preservation of other determinations (s 3) means that parties who operate under earlier determinations must read this instrument in combination with the body of extant determinations; that will affect who needs to review which rules when procuring coinage, and which design specifications apply to different coin issues.

The Determination primarily imposes technical duties in the form of specification compliance obligations, while leaving many legal rights and enforcement mechanisms unstated.

Technical duties, expressed in mandatory language, require the coins described to conform to the specified physical and design attributes. For each coin type the Determination sets out duties that a producer must satisfy if the coin is to be the coin described in the instrument. These duties include, among others:

• constituting the standard composition or meeting the minimum purity threshold specified: for the $1 coins and $10 coins the composition must "include not less than 99.9% silver" (cl 4(1), cl 6(1)); for the $5 coins the standard composition "consists of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal" (cl 5(1)); the $200 coin composition is shown via imagery in the provided copy (cl 7(1));
• producing the coin in a circular shape (cl 4(2), cl 5(2), cl 6(2), cl 7(2));
• ensuring the correct edge treatment in each variant, whether milled, plain, or a specified segmented pattern (cl 4(3)-(4), cl 5(3), cl 6(3), cl 7(3));
• striking the obverse and reverse with the specific effigies, representations and inscriptions set out in each clause (cl 4(9)-(10), cl 5(8)-(13), cl 6(8)-(10), cl 7(8)-(9));
• meeting the standard weight for the coin and staying within the allowed variation (cl 4(5)-(6), cl 5(4)-(5), cl 6(4)-(5), cl 7(4)-(5)); and
• meeting the stated diameter and thickness dimensions (cl 4(7)-(8), cl 5(6)-(7), cl 6(6)-(7), cl 7(6)-(7)).

These duties are worded as prescriptive specifications. The Determination does not provide procedural directives about how to demonstrate compliance or what records must be kept to evidence that compliance.

Rights and remedies are not articulated in the Determination. It does not set out rights of private parties to rely on the coin specifications, nor does it create a statutory right of private action for non-conforming coinage. The instrument contains no enforcement, penalty or remedy provisions; it does not specify who may inspect, test or reject coins, and it does not allocate rights to recover costs if non-conforming coins are produced or distributed. In that sense the Determination operates as a technical rule set, the practical legal effect of which within the broader legal framework depends on the Currency Act 1965 and any other determinations or statutory provisions that address issuance, circulation and enforcement; those instruments are not reproduced here.

There are a few nominal procedural duties implicit in the formalities. The Determination is dated and signed by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer acting for the Treasurer (preamble), and the instrument contains a commencement clause (s 2). It therefore imposes a duty on those implementing coin production to treat 6 May 1994 as the date from which its specifications were in force (s 2). Clause 3 asserts that this Determination does not affect other determinations, and that interacts with duties to consult and comply with any other existing determinations that remain applicable (s 3).

In short, the Determination creates binding technical obligations as to what the coins must look like and weigh, but it does not itself create procedural rights, private enforcement mechanisms, or express penalties; those matters are left outside this instrument.

The Determination contains no provisions establishing offences, penalties, inspection powers, or enforcement procedures. There is no clause within the text that prescribes sanctions for failure to comply with the specifications set out in clauses 4 to 7. There is likewise no mechanism in the Determination for certifying conforming coins, rejecting non-conforming coins, or authorising public agencies to take custody of or withdraw non-conforming coinage.

Because the Determination is made under subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965 (preamble), any enforcement mechanisms or penalties that might attach to non-compliance with coin specifications would depend on provisions of the Currency Act or other statutory or regulatory instruments external to this Determination. However, those external provisions are not reproduced in the text provided, and the Determination does not incorporate them by reference. The only operational clause relating to legal interplay is that the Determination does not affect any other determination of coin specifications or design (s 3), which implies that other determinations could include enforcement provisions; but the Determination does not identify or summarise them.

The absence of enforcement detail in this Determination leaves certain practical questions unresolved within the instrument itself, including:

• who has authority to inspect or test coins for conformity with these specifications;
• who may determine whether a particular coin is the coin described in this Determination; and
• what legal consequences, if any, flow from producing, issuing, or circulating a coin that does not meet the stated specifications.

Stakeholders relying on this Determination for operational compliance will therefore need to consult the Currency Act 1965 and any other determinations in force, to establish the existence and nature of any enforcement or penalty regime that applies to coinage non-compliance. The Determination itself provides no textually grounded answers to those enforcement questions.

The Determination is expressly made under the authority of subsection 13A(1) of the Currency Act 1965, and that connection is stated in the opening paragraph of the instrument (preamble). The Determination therefore sits within a statutory framework established by the Currency Act, but the Determination does not reproduce or summarise the provisions of the Act. Its scope is limited to prescribing coin specifications and designs for the coins described in clauses 4 to 7.

Clause 3 of the Determination makes a specific, textual interaction point with other subordinate instruments: "This Determination does not affect any other determination of the specifications or design of a coin" (s 3). That provision preserves the operation of earlier or contemporaneous determinations addressing coin specifications or designs. In practice, that means that whoever reads or applies this Determination must consider it together with any other determinations that remain in force, because this instrument does not repeal, supersede or amend other determinations by its own text.

The Determination does not make any express reference to statutes other than the Currency Act 1965. It contains no cross-references to other Acts, regulations, procurement rules, intellectual property law, customs or export control, consumer protection, or taxation, nor does it claim to override or modify any such laws. Any such interaction must be assessed against the statutory text of other instruments outside this Determination. The present instrument does not itself assert whether the coins are legal tender, whether they may be sold to the public at premiums as commemorative or bullion items, or whether any export or sale restrictions apply; those matters would need to be resolved by reference to the Currency Act and other relevant laws.

Because the Determination specifies metal content for some coins , notably the minimum 99.9% silver standard for the $1 and $10 coins (cl 4(1), cl 6(1)), and the 92.5% silver composition for the $5 coins (cl 5(1)) , it may have practical intersections with laws or regulatory regimes that govern precious metals, hallmarking, consumer disclosure, or bullion trading. The text itself does not make those connections explicit. Similarly, the Determination’s detailed references to images, geographic names and personal names on reverse designs could intersect with advisory or approval processes for imagery on official coinage, but again there is no textual description here of how those processes operate or whether separate approvals were required.

The $200 coin presents an interaction concern specific to this copy: its composition is displayed as inline images rather than numeric text (cl 7(1)), which may complicate legal interpretation and compliance unless an authoritative textual copy is consulted. That presentation increases the need for cross-referencing the Currency Act’s mechanisms for resolving ambiguities or consulting the issuing authority’s records, because the Determination itself does not resolve the numerical composition in plain text.

In sum, the Determination is a technical subordinate instrument anchored to the Currency Act 1965. Its direct interaction with other laws is limited to the authority clause and to the preservation of other determinations; any more detailed interactions, enforcement overlaps, or statutory consequences are not set out in the Determination and must be found in the broader legislative and regulatory framework.

The instrument contains explicit dating and commencement information but it does not record any subsequent amendments within the text provided. The Determination is dated 2 May 1994 in the signature block (preamble) and it has an express commencement clause stating that it commences on 6 May 1994 (s 2). Section 1 gives its citation as Currency Determination No. 2 of 1994 (s 1). Clause 3 contains a saving provision that this Determination does not affect any other determination of coin specifications or design (s 3).

No textual amendment schedule, revocation clause, sunset clause, or transitional provision appears in the Determination. The instrument does not record prior determinations it modifies, nor does it list subsequent amending instruments; none are set out in the material supplied. If an amendment history is required, users must inspect the statute book or registers of subordinate instruments for any instruments that amend, repeal, replace, or otherwise relate to Currency Determination No. 2 of 1994 after its commencement date of 6 May 1994. The Determination itself, as provided, contains no such amendment entries.

Two practical notes arising from the provided text are:

• the Determination expressly preserves other determinations (s 3), so amendment history may appear in other determinations that this instrument did not replace or affect; and
• the $200 coin composition is represented by inline images in the provided copy (cl 7(1)), which is a textual oddity that an amended or corrected published version might have rectified; absence of such a correction in the provided text points to the need to check official gazette publications or consolidated registers for any corrected or amended text.

Because this Determination is a short subordinate instrument, routine practice would be to check the Government Gazette, the Parliamentary Counsel’s authorised legislation database, or instrument registers for any amending instruments, but such searches are outside the text of this Determination and not recorded within it.

The Determination as supplied contains no reference to any litigation, dispute, judicial commentary, declaratory actions, or administrative review proceedings. There are no case names, citations, or annotations included in the text, and no clauses that identify or contemplate legal proceedings. Accordingly, the instrument provides no internal litigation history.

If litigation or judicial interpretation concerning these coin specifications exists, it is not recorded in the Determination itself. Any such history would need to be located in judicial databases, court records, or legal reporting services, none of which are part of the provided instrument. The Determination does not establish internal dispute resolution processes or appeal rights, nor does it include a clause directing parties to particular courts or tribunals for enforcement or review.

For users interested in whether these specifications were ever the subject of litigation , for instance disputes over conformity, counterfeiting, or the effect of inscriptional or compositional requirements , the Determination points to the need to consult external legal records. Within the text supplied, however, there is no litigation history to report.

The Determination is short and technical, but several concrete pitfalls arise directly from its wording and formatting. These are matters that users and implementers should treat as potential risks or attention points when relying on this instrument.

1. Composition ambiguity for the $200 gold coin (cl 7(1))

   • The composition of the $200 coin in clause 7(1) is presented in the provided copy by inline images rather than by textual percentages. As supplied the clause reads that the "standard composition of which consists of gold and other metal." This leaves the numeric gold percentage unclear in this textual copy. Absent an authoritative textual reproduction, the actual proportion of gold is uncertain. That uncertainty is material for procurement, assay, hallmarking, pricing and taxation considerations.

2. Two different drafting treatments of metal content (cl 4(1), cl 5(1), cl 6(1))

   • The Determination uses different formulations for metal specifications. The $1 and $10 coins are stated to include "not less than 99.9% silver" (cl 4(1), cl 6(1)), which is a minimum purity requirement. The $5 coins are specified as consisting of "92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal" (cl 5(1)), an exact compositional split. These differing drafting approaches have different manufacturing consequences: the minimum standard allows for higher fineness, whereas the fixed composition requires a precise alloy mix. Implementers must not conflate the two.

3. Multiple variants per denomination with identical obverse but distinct reverses (cl 4, cl 5, cl 6)

   • Several denominations contain multiple reverse designs (two $1 variants, five $5 variants, two $10 variants). All share the same obverse. This creates a demand for precise die control and inventory tracking to ensure each reverse is matched with the correct obverse and edge specification. Production lines must manage variant-specific edge treatments for $1 coins where the first variant is milled and the second has a 12-segment alternating pattern (cl 4(3)-(4)).

4. Exact inscription and representation requirements (cl 4(9)-(10), cl 5(8)-(13), cl 6(8)-(10), cl 7(8)-(9))

   • The Determination lists inscriptions and representations in all-caps style. Implementers should note that the instrument requires exact strings, including punctuation and spacing as set out. Deviations in inscriptional wording, omission of geographic identifiers, or incorrect naming could result in non-conformity with the Determination.

5. Weight tolerances are small and vary by denomination (cl 4(6), cl 5(5), cl 6(5), cl 7(5))

   • The allowed weight variations are numerically small relative to the standard weights. For example, the $200 coin allows a tolerance of only 0.06 grams on a 10.00 gram standard (cl 7(4)-(5)), which is a tight manufacturing control. The $5 coins permit a 0.63 gram variation on 35.79 grams (cl 5(4)-(5)), which is proportionally larger. Manufacturing and quality testing protocols must therefore be calibrated to these distinct tolerances.

6. Edge treatment specificity for a segmented $1 coin (cl 4(4))

   • The second $1 coin has an unusual edge requirement: "consists of 12 segments, of which 6 are coarse milled and 6 are plain" (cl 4(4)). That prescriptive segmentation pattern requires dies or edge-rolling equipment capable of producing alternate coarse-milled and plain segments. Misinterpretation of "coarse milled" versus "milled" could lead to non-conformity.

7. No enforcement, penalties or certification procedure in the Determination

   • The Determination does not set out how conformity will be assessed, who inspects coins, or what the consequences are for non-conforming coins. This procedural silence creates operational ambiguity: implementers must rely on broader statutory or administrative frameworks to know how non-conformity is remedied. The Determination itself provides no enforcement guidance.

8. Preservation of other determinations (s 3)

   • Clause 3 preserves other determinations. That means implementers cannot assume this Determination is exhaustive for all 1994 coinage or related issues. They must cross-check other determinations to understand the full regulatory picture.

9. Presentation and transcription risks

   • The presence of images that substitute for text in the copy supplied (preamble signatures and cl 7(1) composition) indicates that certain content may not have been captured correctly in transcription. Users working from this copy must verify with the authorised gazette text or original instrument to avoid relying on incomplete information.

10. Geographic and personal-name reverses may carry representational constraints

    • Several reverses reference named explorers and geographic descriptors (cl 5(9)-(13)). If there were separate approval requirements for the use of personal names or maps in official coinage, they are not referenced in this Determination. That could create a compliance blind-spot if additional approvals were needed elsewhere.

Each of these points flows directly from the text and formatting of the Determination. They are practical, operational issues rather than interpretive legal claims, and they point to areas where implementers should verify assumptions against authoritative source texts and administrative procedures.

Compliance with this Determination requires strict technical conformity to the measurements, compositions, edge treatments, imagery and inscriptions set out in clauses 4 to 7, and attention to formal commencement and preservation provisions. The Determination does not set out a compliance regime, so compliance in practice means meeting the specifications as written and coordinating with any supervisory or statutory authorities established under the Currency Act 1965 or other related instruments.

Practical compliance steps grounded in the Determination’s text:

1. Verify authoritative text and resolve ambiguities

   • Obtain the authoritative version of Currency Determination No. 2 of 1994 from the Government Gazette or the official legislative publisher. The supplied copy has inline images in clause 7(1) that obscure the numeric gold composition for the $200 coin, and signatures presented as images in the preamble. Do not rely on the provided transcription for any numeric composition data that appears as an image; confirm the numeric percentages from the authoritative instrument (cl 7(1); preamble).

2. Adopt the stated commencement date for production and issue

   • Treat 6 May 1994 as the date from which these specifications are to be regarded as in force (s 2). Any production intended to be the coins described should match the Determination’s specifications from that date forward.

3. Control alloy composition and purity per clause wording

   • For the $1 and $10 coins, ensure the silver content includes not less than 99.9% silver, which is a minimum pureness requirement and allows for equal or higher fineness (cl 4(1), cl 6(1)). For the $5 coins, use an alloy mix of 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metal exactly as stated (cl 5(1)). For the $200 coin, confirm the exact gold percentage from the authoritative text and ensure alloy composition matches that percentage (cl 7(1)).

4. Implement dimensional and weight tolerances in production controls

   • Design manufacturing quality control to achieve the specified standard weight and to operate within the allowed variation: $1 coins 31.635 g ±0.50 g (cl 4(5)-(6)); $5 coins 35.79 g ±0.63 g (cl 5(4)-(5)); $10 coins 20.77 g ±0.50 g (cl 6(4)-(5)); $200 coin 10.00 g ±0.06 g (cl 7(4)-(5)). Also ensure diameter and thickness conform: for example $1 diameter 40.60 mm, thickness 4.00 mm (cl 4(7)-(8)); $200 diameter 24.20 mm, thickness 2.00 mm (cl 7(6)-(7)).

5. Reproduce obverse and reverse imagery and inscriptions exactly

   • Ensure the obverse bears an effigy of the Queen and inscriptions “ELIZABETH II”, “AUSTRALIA” and “1994” across all coins (cl 4(9), cl 5(8), cl 6(8), cl 7(8)). Match each reverse to the corresponding wording in the Determination; for example the $1 reverses must bear a leaping kangaroo and the inscriptions “ONE DOLLAR” and “ONE OUNCE FINE SILVER” (cl 4(10)), while the $5 coins must match the named persons and inscriptions in cl 5(9)-(13). Pay careful attention to capitalization and exact wording.

6. Implement specific edge treatments and segmented patterns

   • Edge treatments differ by coin and variant: many are milled, some are plain and one $1 variant has 12 segments alternating coarse-milled and plain (cl 4(3)-(4), cl 5(3), cl 6(3), cl 7(3)). Confirm die and roller tooling meet the specified edge profiles to avoid non-conformance.

7. Maintain documentation and testing logs

   • Although the Determination does not require recordkeeping, manufacturers should maintain production logs showing assay results, weight and dimensional inspection results, die proofs and trial strikes, and photographs of the obverse and reverse images keyed to the relevant clause references. These records will be necessary to demonstrate compliance to any external authority under the Currency Act or to contracting government offices.

8. Cross-check other determinations and statutory obligations

   • Clause 3 explicitly preserves other determinations of coin specifications and design (s 3). Identify and obtain all contemporaneous and prior determinations relevant to coinage and ensure that no other active determination imposes conflicting or additional specifications. Likewise, identify any statutory obligations under the Currency Act 1965 related to issuance, distribution, certification, hallmarking or sale of coins.

9. Coordinate with authoritative approving agencies

   • The Determination itself does not identify the agency that will accept or reject coins, so ascertain which government entity or mint is administratively responsible for acceptance, and interface with that agency to obtain sign-off on dies and trial strikes. Ensure any approval procedures required by the issuing authority are satisfied before mass production.

10. Plan for assay and market considerations

    • Where the coins are of high precious metal content, plan for assay testing and secure supply chains for metal blanks. The $1 and $10 coins are specified at a minimum of 99.9% silver (cl 4(1), cl 6(1)), while the $5 coins use a sterling-standard alloy (cl 5(1)). The $200 coin’s gold content must be confirmed. These material specifications will materially affect procurement, insurance, and handling costs during production.

11. Seek correction where the authoritative text differs

    • If, upon inspection of the authoritative text, there are differences from this copy (for example, the $200 coin’s numeric composition), seek an official correction or a consolidated instrument reference before committing to production.

These steps follow from the Determination’s technical prescriptions. The Determination does not prescribe enforcement or certification steps; implementers therefore should assume the burden of proof in demonstrating conformity, and should coordinate with the issuing authority or legal advisers to determine what external compliance checks or approvals are required under the Currency Act 1965 or associated administrative rules.