1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c Coin
The 1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c is a circulating 50c coin with 9 million made. Value band: face value. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 1988
- Circulation mintage
- 9,000,000
- Value band
- Face value
- Composition
- Cupronickel (75% copper, 25% 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 1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c worth?
9 million were made, so the 1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c 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 with no bag marks
- An original mint roll or set
- A recognized variety or genuine error
For market prices, look at recent sold results for the same coin in the same condition, not asking prices.
Quick answers
- Is the 1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c rare?
- No. 9 million were made, so circulated examples are worth face value.
- How many 1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c coins were made?
- 9,000,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c made of?
- Cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel). It weighs 15.55 g and measures 31.65 mm, with a 12-sided shape.
- Is the 1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c still legal tender?
- Yes. Every 50c coin, commemoratives included, is legal tender in Australia.
Why the 1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c was made
On 26 January 1788 the First Fleet under Captain Arthur Phillip anchored in Sydney Cove, beginning British settlement in Australia. The bicentenary in 1988 was marked by a year of national events, including a reenactment voyage of tall ships into Sydney Harbour on Australia Day. For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the anniversary was a day of mourning rather than celebration. The year saw large protests as well as festivities, including a march through Sydney on Australia Day itself.
The Royal Australian Mint issued a commemorative 50c for the bicentenary alongside a commemorative $1. The 50c had a circulation mintage of 9,000,000, a big step down from the commemoratives of the 1970s and early 1980s. Collectors often call it the Tall Ships 50c because of the sailing ship on its reverse. The coin also appeared in the 1988 mint and proof sets, so you may find an uncirculated example still sealed in its original packaging. Its lower mintage also made it the scarcest 50c commemorative issued up to that time.
How to recognize it
Michael Tracey designed the reverse. It shows a ship of the First Fleet under sail, set against an early, partly charted map of New Holland, the old European name for Australia, with a compass above and the stars of the Southern Cross below. The dates 1788 and 1988 confirm the subject. On the obverse is Raphael Maklouf's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, with 1988 in the legend. The coin follows the standard specifications: 12 sides, 31.65 mm across the flats, 15.55 g of cupronickel and a plain edge. The ship's rigging is fine detail, so on a worn coin look for the overall outline of the hull and sails instead.
1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c by the numbers
By the numbers, the 1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c ranks 17th lowest of 32 circulating 50c coins with a published mintage. The next scarcer is the 2016 50 Years of Decimal Currency 50c (7 million); the next more common is the 2004 Student Design (Primary) 50c (10.2 million).
For scale, the most common is the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games 50c with 49.6 million, about 5.5 times as many. The scarcest is the 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c with 1.4 million, 6.4 times fewer than this one.
It was the only circulating commemorative 50c coin dated 1988.
What to check on your 1988 Australian Bicentenary 50c
- Confirm the design and date: Australian Bicentenary dated 1988.
- Check the shape and size: the 50c is 12-sided, 31.65 mm across and weighs 15.55 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 9 million, the mintage is moderate: lower than the early commemoratives but far above the scarce issues of later years. Circulated coins are face value. Uncirculated examples with crisp rigging and clean fields can carry a small premium. The coins from mint and proof sets are the best preserved. A set coin is easy to spot because it still has full mint luster and no wear on the sails. Anything pulled from change will usually show rubbing on the ship and scratches across the map.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 50 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Australian Mint |
| Year | 1988 |
| Circulation mintage | 9,000,000 |
| Composition | Cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) |
| Weight | 15.55 g |
| Diameter | 31.65 mm |
| Shape | 12-sided |
| Edge | Plain |
Frequently asked questions
Why is the 1988 50c called the Tall Ships coin?
Its reverse shows a sailing ship of the First Fleet, which arrived at Sydney Cove in January 1788. The nickname also recalls the tall ships that sailed into Sydney Harbour during the 1988 bicentenary celebrations.
How many 1988 Bicentenary 50c coins are there?
The circulation mintage was 9,000,000. That is lower than the 1970s commemoratives but still a large number, so circulated coins are face value and only uncirculated examples attract a small premium.
Mintage figures: Australian fifty-cent coin (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Australian Mint figures. How we build these pages.