In 1981 both London and the Canada Mints were used to strike some of the Aussie coins. On the 5c we have 2 different effigy designs for that year and i'm trying to track down images of other commonwealth effigies for that year to compare them and find out which of these 2 mints made those coins. It's either been done as a deliberate privvy by the Royal Australian Mint (which for some reason no longer have these records) and they made and sent the dies out, or the striking mint made the dies themselves and may have used the wrong effigy. All other 1981 coins struck at these mints for Australia have the standard/correct effigy. The 20c struck at the Canadian Mint have what we believe to be a privvy mark on the reverse with half a claw for the platypus missing. I would appreciate any help from forum members to get obverse scans of any commonwealth coins for 1981 especially those that are approx 19.41mm (0.76 inches) This is one coin i've been working on for a number of years and would like to solve the mystery
Well,the New Zealand coins of 1981 were also struck at the Royal Canadian Mint in Ottawa.There is a very interesting (& extremely rare) mule coin,which has the obverse of the New Zealand 50c. & the reverse of a Canadian Voyageur $1.There are 6 pieces known, but they have all turned up in Canada. Of course,I have got some of the South African coins dated 1981. This was a historic year for both New Zealand & South Africa,as the Springbok rugby team toured New Zealand.It was a tour that caused a lot of protest from H.A.R.T (Halt All Racist Tours) & other anti-apartheid organisations.It also brought New Zealand's poor race relations to the fore.The 1981 Springbok Tour was the last before the destruction of the apartheid 'system' & the return of South Africa to the British Commonwealth.The State President of South Africa in 1981 was Marais Viljoen (who appears on a commemorative 1985 1 Rand coin),& the Prime Minister of South Africa was P.W. Botha (who became State President in 1984). Aidan.
