2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c Coin
The 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c is a circulating 50c coin with 2.8 million made. Value band: small premium. Here is how to recognize it, what makes one worth more and what to check on yours.
- Year
- 2001
- Circulation mintage
- 2,800,000
- Value band
- Small premium
- 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 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c worth?
At 2.8 million, the 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c has a smaller run than most 50c coins, so collectors pay a small premium for it, especially in uncirculated condition. Well circulated examples sit close to face value.
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 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c rare?
- It is scarcer than most 50c coins. Collectors pay a small premium for good examples.
- How many 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c coins were made?
- 2,800,000 were struck for circulation.
- What is the 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 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 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c still legal tender?
- Yes. Every 50c coin, commemoratives included, is legal tender in Australia.
Why the 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c was made
Victoria was the second most populous colony in 1901 and its capital played a central role in the new nation. The first federal Parliament was opened at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne on 9 May 1901. Melbourne then served as the seat of government until Parliament moved to Canberra in 1927. Victorians such as Alfred Deakin, later Prime Minister three times, were among the strongest voices for federation. The colony voted heavily in favor.
The Victorian 50c had a circulation mintage of 2,800,000, the second highest of the state and territory coins after New South Wales. Its 20c companion was designed jointly by Ryan Ladd and Mark Kennedy of Lara Lake Primary School, the only pair of designers in the 20c series. A Victorian three-coin set brought together the 20c, 50c and $1. Because more were made, the Victorian coin is fairly easy to find in change, though it is still far less common than the national Federation design. It is a coin many Melbourne collectors keep as a local souvenir of the centenary.
How to recognize it
The reverse shows the Victorian coat of arms. Two standing female figures, representing Peace and Prosperity, support a shield bearing the five stars of the Southern Cross. Above the shield a kangaroo holds an imperial crown. The motto PEACE AND PROSPERITY is written on the scroll below, in English rather than Latin. Lettering around the rim reads CENTENARY OF FEDERATION, 1901 2001, VICTORIA and FIFTY CENTS. On the obverse is the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait used on all Australian coins of the time. Victoria is the only coin in the set with human figures as supporters, so the two women make it simple to identify even when worn.
2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c by the numbers
Measured by how many were made, the 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c ranks 11th lowest of 32 circulating 50c coins with a published mintage. The next scarcer is the 2001 Centenary of Federation: Western Australia 50c (2.4 million); the next more common is the 2001 Centenary of Federation: New South Wales 50c (3 million).
For scale, the most common is the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games 50c with 49.6 million, about 18 times as many. The scarcest is the 2017 1967 Referendum and Mabo 50c with 1.4 million, 2 times fewer than this one.
2001 brought 9 other circulating 50c coin designs, from the Centenary of Federation: ACT (2 million) up to the Centenary of Federation (43.1 million). 7 of them had a smaller run.
What to check on your 2001 Centenary of Federation: Victoria 50c
- Confirm the design and date: Centenary of Federation: Victoria dated 2001.
- 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.
With 2.8 million struck, the Victorian coin is one of the more common state issues and circulated examples are face value. Uncirculated coins with sharp faces on the two figures can bring a small premium. The figures and the kangaroo are raised high and pick up wear fast, so compare their faces and the kangaroo's outline when judging condition. This is a good coin to upgrade if you started your Federation set from change. Coins from the Victorian three-coin set usually keep their full luster and make the best choice for a matched set.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Country | Australia |
|---|---|
| Denomination | 50 cents |
| Issuer | Royal Australian Mint |
| Year | 2001 |
| Circulation mintage | 2,800,000 |
| Composition | Cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) |
| Weight | 15.55 g |
| Diameter | 31.65 mm |
| Shape | 12-sided |
| Edge | Plain |
Other 2001 50c coins
| Coin | Circulation mintage | Value band |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 Centenary of Federation 50c Coin | 43,100,000 | Face value |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: ACT 50c Coin | 2,000,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: New South Wales 50c Coin | 3,000,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Norfolk Island 50c Coin | 2,200,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Northern Territory 50c Coin | 2,100,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Queensland 50c Coin | 2,300,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: South Australia 50c Coin | 2,400,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Tasmania 50c Coin | 2,200,000 | Small premium |
| 2001 Centenary of Federation: Western Australia 50c Coin | 2,400,000 | Small premium |
Frequently asked questions
Who are the two women on the 2001 Victoria 50c?
They are allegorical figures representing Peace and Prosperity, the supporters of the Victorian coat of arms, standing on either side of a shield with the Southern Cross. The state's motto, PEACE AND PROSPERITY, appears on the scroll beneath them.
How many 2001 Victoria 50c coins were made?
The circulation mintage was 2,800,000, the second highest of the nine state and territory coins. Circulated examples are face value and uncirculated coins can bring a small premium from collectors completing the series.
Mintage figures: Australian fifty-cent coin (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from Royal Australian Mint figures. How we build these pages.