Commemorative coins produced by the Royal Australian Mint to honour the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth have sparked fierce criticism, with observers branding the depiction a “monstrosity” and likening it to “the Wicked Witch of the West.”
The two silver collector’s pieces, valued at $5.50 (£2.56), were created to mark 100 years since the late monarch was born in 1926.
Unlike traditional royal coinage, which has consistently portrayed Elizabeth II in profile throughout her reign, the Australian mint opted for a full frontal portrait.
The coins were offered through an online ballot that concluded on Wednesday, but the design has provoked widespread condemnation from royal watchers and the public alike.
The new coin of Queen Elizabeth II has been branded a “monstrosity”
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ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MINT
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams condemned the portrait as “grotesque,” declaring that the late Queen’s image resembled “the Wicked Witch of the West” rather than the dignified monarch the world knew.
Mr Fitzwilliams emphasised that Elizabeth II’s coin portraits were “always dignified” throughout her reign, describing the new Australian design as an unwelcome departure from this tradition.
The artwork was created by Alex Stokic, an artist employed by the Royal Australian Mint, and depicts the Queen in her later years.
In response to the backlash, the Royal Australian Mint conceded that coin images “don’t always capture the full beauty of a design once it’s etched in metal.”
Social media users piled on with their own unflattering comparisons, likening the portrait to Mrs Brown from Mrs Brown’s Boys and Mrs Doubtfire, the fictional housekeeper portrayed by the late Robin Williams.
One commenter declared: “That’s got to be the most unpleasant portrait on a coin.”
The Royal Australian Mint conceded that coin images “don’t always capture the full beauty of a design once it’s etched in metal”
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ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MINT
Another simply stated: “The Queen looked nothing like that.”
Mr Fitzwilliams delivered perhaps the most cutting assessment, suggesting: “if the Queen had resembled his monstrosity, Australia would have been a republic years ago.”
Queen Elizabeth II served as Queen of Australia throughout her reign, making the unflattering depiction particularly notable given the nation’s ongoing debates about its constitutional future.
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The commemorative coin features the Queen facing forward, adorned with decorative elements celebrating her well-known passions, including outlines of a horse and a corgi.
Additional design details include her royal cypher with a stylised St Edward’s Crown and the Auxiliary Territorial Service emblem, acknowledging her distinction as the first female member of the royal family to serve in the armed forces.
King Charles appears in profile on the reverse side of the coins.
There have been 35,000 coins minted
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ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MINT
The Royal Australian Mint produced 30,000 of the 50 cent pieces and 5,000 of the $5 coins, all intended exclusively for collectors rather than general circulation.
During her 70-year reign, Elizabeth II sat for five different coinage portraits.
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