2 Dollar Australia, Queen Elizabeth II

Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, initially by Raphael Maklouf (19851998)

Depiction of an Aboriginal Elder, designed by Horst Hahne, based on a drawing by artist Ainslie Roberts (not a specific person).

The $2 coin was a major design shift and is Australias highest denomination coin in regular use. Its compact size but high value was initially controversial, but it quickly became accepted.

The Aboriginal Elder design is seen as a respectful representation of Indigenous Australians, though some collectors note that it does not represent a specific individual, and thus remains symbolic.

In 2012, the Royal Australian Mint began issuing commemorative $2 coins including themes like:

• Remembrance Day poppies

• ANZACs

• Commonwealth Games

• Queen Elizabeth II memorial coins (2022)

These limited issues are highly collectible and often sell for many times their face value.