The world’s first coin, minted in 2024, highlights Australia’s history of space exploration. The theme for 2024 was determined by the Royal Australian Mint.

“Out of this world – Australia in space” to “showcase Australia’s history and significance as one of the first countries to launch its own satellite”.

The reverse of the coin depicts an Australian astronaut during the spacewalk and launch of WRESAT-1 on a modified American Redstone rocket in 1967. The satellite, which conducted experiments to measure radiation in the upper atmosphere, made Australia the seventh country, after the Soviet Union and the United States, to place a satellite into orbit and the third country to launch it from its own territory.

The coin also features the Earth and the Moon, with the Australian continent clearly visible; The moon is a tribute to the country’s role in broadcasting a live television signal during Apollo 11, the first moon landing, and the Australian-made robotic rover. Explore the lunar surface as part of the NASA Artemis program.

Although not marked on the mint, this astronaut may be a reference to Andrew Thomas, who was the first Australian-born professional astronaut to fly into space and performed a spacewalk on a third of his four spaceflights with NASA. The image may also be a reference to Paul Scully Powers, an oceanographer who was the first Australian to launch into space, but flew as a payload specialist on the US space shuttle.

The words “Rover, Technology, Rockets, Astronauts, Satellites, Communications, GPS, Astronomy, Research and Exploration” are engraved on the edge of the coin’s reverse.

The Mint worked with the Australian Space Agency to design the coin.

“Space is critical to our daily lives and the biggest challenges we face, and the agency is ensuring Australia does its part. Space is also a global activity and the agency supports Australian organizations by working with partners such as NASA, the European Space Agency, Japan’s His JAXA etc.” It is written in the folder that comes with the 2024 money.

The 1-inch (25-millimeter) aluminum bromide coin weighs 0.3 ounces (9 grams) and has a legal tender value of one dollar. Although this is a collector’s item, it is not a limited edition.

The uncirculated coin also bears the image of King Henry III on the obverse or obverse. It is the first commemorative coin to feature Charles’s picture.

In honor of the new year and the new coin, the Royal Australian Mint held a raffle for the right to mint the first coin. The winner was 12-year-old Izzy Zaharis from Wollongong. He and 99 others gathered in Canberra were able to mint their own coins and take them home with a mint authentication certificate.

The release on Monday, January 1st was for gallery money only. Additional coins, including $10 gold, $1 silver, and a four-coin uncirculated set, will be released in early February.