Two Australian coins commemorating Queen Elizabeth II have been criticised for failing to resemble the late monarch. The $5 and 50c silver coins, created by the Royal Australian Mint to mark the centenary of her birth, were released in an online ballot that closed on Wednesday.
Collectors on social media debated whether the late queen’s portrait is regal or more like characters from film or TV, with Mrs Doubtfire, Mrs Brown, and the cartoon character Shrek cited as closer comparisons. One collector commented on Facebook: “Doesn’t even look remotely like her.” Another joked: “Is this what happens when the queen is not around to approve the design?”
The Royal Australian Mint defended the portrait, saying: “Our coin images don’t always capture the full beauty of a design once it’s etched in metal.” The design features a front-facing portrait of the queen, surrounded by symbols of her life and passions, including horses, corgis, theatre, art, and roses and lily of the valley.
Despite the criticism, some collectors described the image as “awesome” and “beautiful”. The mint reported that silver proof coins had sold out, with limited stocks left. It created 30,000 of the 50c coins and 5,000 of the $5 pieces, all collector’s items not for general circulation. The backs of the coins feature a profile portrait of King Charles.
