1986 International Year of Peace $1 Coin
The 1986 International Year of Peace $1 is a circulating $1 coin with 25.2 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1986
- Circulation mintage
- 25,200,000
- Value band
- Face value
- Composition
- Aluminum bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel)
Original illustration of the coin's shape and metal. Tap to flip. Not a picture of the actual design.
Face value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 1986 International Year of Peace $1 worth?
25.2 million were made, so the 1986 International Year of Peace $1 is easy to find. A circulated one is worth face value; collectors pay a little more only for uncirculated coins.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition
- An original mint roll, card or set
- A genuine mint error
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 1986 International Year of Peace $1 rare?
- No. 25.2 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 1986 International Year of Peace $1 coins were made?
- 25,200,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1986 International Year of Peace $1 made of?
- Aluminum bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel). It weighs 9 g and measures 25 mm.
- Is the 1986 International Year of Peace $1 still legal tender?
- Yes. Every $1 coin, commemoratives included, is legal tender in Australia.
Why the 1986 International Year of Peace $1 was made
Australia's $1 coin was only two years old when it got its first commemorative design. The coin had replaced the $1 note on 14 May 1984, carrying Stuart Devlin's mob of kangaroos. By 1986 it was firmly part of everyday life. That year the United Nations declared the International Year of Peace. The Royal Australian Mint chose to mark it on the new dollar.
The circulation mintage was 25,200,000, a large figure that put the coin into tills and pockets across the country. Because it was the first time Australians saw anything other than kangaroos on a $1, many people kept one as a curiosity. That is why the Year of Peace dollar is still a common find in old coin jars and family collections. It set a pattern the Mint has followed ever since, using the $1 for national and international occasions. For anyone collecting commemorative dollars in order, this is coin number one. The design was later struck in sterling silver for a collector set, but the circulating coin is the ordinary aluminum bronze version found in change.
How to recognize it
Horst Hahne designed the reverse. It shows a dove of peace with hands and a wreath, symbols of the United Nations' commitment to peace around the world. Lettering on the reverse refers to the International Year of Peace, so the coin is easy to confirm even when worn. The obverse carries Raphael Maklouf's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II with 1986 in the legend. The coin uses the standard $1 specifications: 25 mm across, 9 g of aluminum bronze with an interrupted milled edge, meaning bands of ridges separated by smooth gaps. If your 1986 dollar shows kangaroos, it is the regular design instead. The dove is the largest element, so it is usually the last detail to wear away.
1986 International Year of Peace $1 by the numbers
In mintage terms the 1986 International Year of Peace $1 ranks 22nd lowest of 27 circulating $1 coins with a published mintage. The next scarcer is the 1997 Kingsford Smith $1 (24.4 million); the next more common is the 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 (26.2 million).
For scale, the most common is the 2002 Year of the Outback $1 with 35.4 million, about 1.4 times as many. The scarcest is the 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency $1 with 560,000, 45 times fewer than this one.
It was the only circulating commemorative $1 coin dated 1986.
What to check on your 1986 International Year of Peace $1
- Confirm the design and date: International Year of Peace dated 1986.
- Check the shape and size: the $1 is round, 25 mm across, gold-colored and weighs 9 g.
- Look at the surfaces under a light. Coins from mint rolls or sets have unbroken luster; change-worn coins show scuffs on the high points.
- Never clean it. Polishing leaves fine scratches and an unnatural shine that collectors avoid.
At 25.2 million, this is a common coin and circulated examples are face value. Golden aluminum bronze tones down to a dull brown with handling, so a coin with its original bright color and crisp detail on the dove is the one to keep. Such coins can bring a small premium from people building a full set of commemorative dollars. It's an easy first coin for a beginner and a nice reminder of how new the $1 coin was at the time. Look closely at the edge too: a genuine coin has the interrupted milling, with ridged sections separated by smooth gaps.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 1 dollar |
| Issuer | Royal Australian Mint |
| Year | 1986 |
| Circulation mintage | 25,200,000 |
| Composition | Aluminum bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel) |
| Weight | 9 g |
| Diameter | 25 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Interrupted milling |
Frequently asked questions
What was the first commemorative $1 coin in Australia?
The 1986 International Year of Peace dollar was the first. It appeared two years after the $1 coin replaced the note, with a dove, hands and a wreath designed by Horst Hahne. It was released into circulation in large numbers.
Is the 1986 Year of Peace $1 rare?
No. The circulation mintage was 25,200,000, so circulated coins are face value. A bright uncirculated example is a nice addition to a collection and can carry a small premium. Worn coins are best spent.
Mintage figures: Australian one-dollar coin (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Australian Mint figures. How we build these pages.