1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 Coin
The 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 is a circulating $1 coin with 26.2 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1996
- Circulation mintage
- 26,200,000
- 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 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 worth?
26.2 million were made, so the 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $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 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 rare?
- No. 26.2 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 coins were made?
- 26,200,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 made of?
- Aluminum bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel). It weighs 9 g and measures 25 mm.
- Is the 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 still legal tender?
- Yes. Every $1 coin, commemoratives included, is legal tender in Australia.
Why the 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 was made
Sir Henry Parkes is often called the Father of Federation. Born in England in 1815, he arrived in Sydney as a young man and rose to become Premier of New South Wales five times. In 1889 he gave a speech at Tenterfield calling for the colonies to unite under one national government, a moment often seen as the start of the federation movement in earnest. He chaired the 1891 convention that began drafting a constitution, but died in 1896, before Federation was achieved in 1901.
In 1996, a century after his death, the Royal Australian Mint honored Parkes with a commemorative $1. The circulation mintage was 26,200,000, one of the largest for a commemorative dollar at the time. Parkes was the first real person, apart from the monarch, to appear on a circulating $1. The coin also looked ahead to the centenary of Federation, which the Mint marked in 2001 with an extensive program of coins. Because so many were made, the Parkes dollar is still found regularly in change today. It is also a handy coin for explaining Federation to children, since it puts a face to the story.
How to recognize it
Wojciech Pietranik designed the reverse, which shows a portrait of Sir Henry Parkes with his famous full beard. The bearded portrait looks nothing like the Queen's crowned head on the obverse, so the two sides are easy to tell apart. Raphael Maklouf's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II appears on the obverse with 1996 in the legend. The coin follows standard $1 specifications: 25 mm across, 9 g of aluminum bronze with an interrupted milled edge. If you see a bearded man rather than kangaroos, you have the Parkes dollar. Parkes's high forehead and flowing beard are distinctive, so even a heavily worn coin can usually be identified. The lettering on the reverse names him, which settles any doubt.
1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 by the numbers
By the numbers, the 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1 ranks 23rd lowest of 27 circulating $1 coins with a published mintage. The next scarcer is the 1986 International Year of Peace $1 (25.2 million); the next more common is the 2001 Centenary of Federation $1 (27.9 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, 47 times fewer than this one.
It was the only circulating commemorative $1 coin dated 1996.
What to check on your 1996 Sir Henry Parkes $1
- Confirm the design and date: Sir Henry Parkes dated 1996.
- 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.
With 26.2 million struck, this is a common dollar and circulated examples are face value. Parkes's beard and face are the high points and show wear first. Uncirculated examples from mint sets can bring a small premium if the color is bright and the beard detail is sharp. Collectors interested in Federation history often keep this coin alongside the 2001 Centenary of Federation dollar and the state 50c coins of that year. Coins that still show individual strands in the beard are the ones to keep. Avoid cleaning any dollar coin, since aluminum bronze scratches easily and cleaned coins lose their appeal to collectors. Store keepers in a holder away from damp.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 1 dollar |
| Issuer | Royal Australian Mint |
| Year | 1996 |
| Circulation mintage | 26,200,000 |
| Composition | Aluminum bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel) |
| Weight | 9 g |
| Diameter | 25 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Interrupted milling |
Frequently asked questions
Who is the man with the beard on the 1996 $1?
He is Sir Henry Parkes, five-time Premier of New South Wales, often called the Father of Federation. The coin was issued in 1996, a century after his death. His Tenterfield speech of 1889 is often seen as the start of the federation movement.
Is the 1996 Henry Parkes $1 valuable?
Not in circulated condition. The circulation mintage was 26,200,000, so it is common and worth face value. Uncirculated coins with sharp detail can bring a small premium. Most examples in change are worn.
Mintage figures: Australian one-dollar coin (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Australian Mint figures. How we build these pages.