Australia celebrates space history with world's first coin minted in 2024

The world's first coin to be minted in 2024 will highlight Australia's history of space exploration.

„Out of This World – Australia in Space” The Royal Australian Mint has chosen its 2024 theme to „reflect Australia's history and significance as one of the first countries to launch its own satellite”.

The reverse or tail side of the coin depicts an Australian astronaut on a spacewalk and the 1967 launch of WRESAT-1 on a modified US Redstone rocket. The satellite made Australia the seventh country to carry out upper atmospheric radiation measurement experiments. It is the third country after the Soviet Union and the United States to launch a satellite into orbit from its own territory.

The design of the coin features the Earth, the Australian continent clearly visible, and the Moon, the latter paying homage to the country's role. Broadcasts a live television signal Apollo 11, the first lunar landing, and the Australian-built robotic rover that explored the lunar surface as part of NASA's Artemis program.

Although not credited by the Mint, astronaut Andrew Thomas was the first Australian-born career astronaut to fly into space and completed three of his four space missions with NASA. This depiction may also be a reference to Paul Scully Powers First Aussie to launch into space, but as an oceanographer he flies as a payload specialist on the US space shuttle.

Related: Australia has voted to name its 1st lunar rover 'Roo-Wor'.

The words „Rovers, Technology, Rockets, Astronauts, Satellites, Communications, GPS, Astronomy, Exploration and Discovery” are engraved on the border of the reverse of the coin.

The mint worked with the Australian Space Agency to design the coin.

„Space is important to our everyday lives, as well as solving some of the biggest challenges we face – and the Agency is ensuring Australia plays its part. Space is also a global endeavor and the Agency supports Australian companies by working with partners such as NASA, the European Space Agency, Japan's JAXA and more. ,” reads the resulting folder 2024 currency.

The 1-inch (25 millimeters) aluminum bromide coin weighs 0.3 ounces (9 grams) and has a legal tender of one dollar. Although this is a collection, it is not a limited edition.

The uncirculated coin is the first commemorative coin to feature an effigy of King Charles III on its obverse or obverse.