2002 Year of the Outback $1 Coin
The 2002 Year of the Outback $1 is a circulating $1 coin with 35.4 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2002
- Circulation mintage
- 35,400,000
- 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 2002 Year of the Outback $1 worth?
35.4 million were made, so the 2002 Year of the Outback $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 2002 Year of the Outback $1 rare?
- No. 35.4 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 2002 Year of the Outback $1 coins were made?
- 35,400,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 2002 Year of the Outback $1 made of?
- Aluminum bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel). It weighs 9 g and measures 25 mm.
- Is the 2002 Year of the Outback $1 still legal tender?
- Yes. Every $1 coin, commemoratives included, is legal tender in Australia.
Why the 2002 Year of the Outback $1 was made
2002 was declared the Year of the Outback, a national celebration of inland Australia and the people who live and work there. The outback stretches across most of the continent. Its history includes tens of thousands of years of Aboriginal life as well as the journeys of explorers, drovers, miners and pastoralists. The Royal Australian Mint marked the year with two coins, a 50c showing a windmill and this $1. Events around the country highlighted inland communities and the challenges they face.
The dollar's circulation mintage was 35,400,000, the highest for any commemorative dollar. That huge number means you're more likely to find this coin in change than almost any other commemorative $1. The design is a clean graphic one rather than a picture of a scene. It focuses on the idea of tracks and journeys across the land, honoring both the original inhabitants and the later travelers who left their mark. The coin also appeared in the 2002 mint and proof sets, so uncirculated examples are easy to obtain. It is a coin that many children collected in 2002, so it often turns up in old money boxes as well as in change.
How to recognize it
The reverse shows a stylized outline of Australia with the Southern Cross, with trails reaching toward it from different directions. The trails represent the marks left on the land, first by Aboriginal people and then by settlers, explorers and pioneers. On the obverse, Ian Rank-Broadley's portrait of the Queen is dated 2002. The coin uses the standard $1 specifications: 25 mm, 9 g of aluminum bronze with an interrupted milled edge. Don't confuse it with the 2002 Outback 50c, which shows a windmill on a 12-sided coin. The map and trails are the key features. It's a clean, modern design that reads well even on a worn coin.
2002 Year of the Outback $1 by the numbers
In mintage terms the 2002 Year of the Outback $1 is the most common of 27 circulating $1 coins with a published mintage. The next scarcer is the 2005 End of World War II 60th $1 (34.2 million).
It was the only circulating commemorative $1 coin dated 2002.
What to check on your 2002 Year of the Outback $1
- Confirm the design and date: Year of the Outback dated 2002.
- 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 35.4 million, this is the most common commemorative dollar, so circulated examples are face value. Only exceptional uncirculated coins draw a small premium. The trails are fine lines that wear quickly, so look for clear detail across the map. Coins from the 2002 mint set are the easiest way to get a perfect example. Since the coin is so plentiful, there's no reason to keep a worn one. If you are building a set of every commemorative dollar, this is a coin to upgrade cheaply rather than settle for a scratched example. Look for even color with no dark patches. Coins in their original mint set packaging are the best choice of all.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 1 dollar |
| Issuer | Royal Australian Mint |
| Year | 2002 |
| Circulation mintage | 35,400,000 |
| Composition | Aluminum bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminum, 2% nickel) |
| Weight | 9 g |
| Diameter | 25 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Interrupted milling |
Frequently asked questions
Which commemorative $1 has the highest mintage?
The 2002 Year of the Outback dollar, with 35,400,000 struck for circulation. That makes it the most common commemorative $1 and the easiest to find in change. It also appeared in the 2002 mint and proof sets.
What do the lines on the 2002 $1 mean?
They are trails reaching toward a map of Australia. They represent the marks left on the land first by Aboriginal people and then by settlers, explorers and pioneers. Together they suggest the many journeys that have crossed the inland.
Mintage figures: Australian one-dollar coin (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Australian Mint figures. How we build these pages.