How many Kangaroos on the Australian 1 Dollar Coin?

I'm sure many of you have seen the standard circulation definitive Australian $1 coin. So just how many Kangaroos are on the reverse side of the coin? 🤔

You probably know the nickname that we give the the coin in Australia is “Mob of Roos”.

A Mob of Kangaroos typically consists of 10 or more individuals, but they can range in size from small groups of 5 up to over 100 kangaroos. These social groups, which can also be called troops or courts, are often led by one dominant male, with females, young, and other males.

The answer to the above question is the $1 coin has Five Kangaroos on it. They have been issued like that from 1984 to 2025.

However without announcing anything to the general public the Royal Australian Mint has issued into circulation in 2026 a $1 “Mob of Roos” coin with an extra Kangaroo. Yes it has Six Kangaroos on it.

Why you might ask? Well it is now 60 years since Decimal Currency was introduced in Australia on 14th February 1966. So that translates to Six Decades. So now we have a Kangaroo on our Dollar coin for each Decade. 😁

Pics of both of the coins for you to compare.

I am pretty sure that the average Aussie that uses these coins on a daily basis won't even notice the extra Kangaroo.

Here is the Numista page I created for this new coin >>> N#559178

It was also issued at the World Money Fair in Berlin in late January with a Brandenburg Gate Privy Mark.

Regards Mike

Thanks for the update. I'm  big fan of Australian coinage but hadn't heard of this “quiet” update till now.

I really like the Aussie one- and two-dollar coins. They have a nice weight to them, they feel like money, or like old transit tokens.

I like the idea of commemorating the anniversary of decimalization this way, but I also feel bad for the Australian coin dealers who will probably be getting phone calls asking “Is this a rare error?” for years to come.

This is getting out of hand ! There are SIX of them now ! 

Now serious - I wonder if this will be the new definitive or a one year only issue . Any information on that ?

Yes, I also didn't notice extra kangaroo when I added 2026 WFM yearline to the old page. Was a little surprised seeing this as new page few days later but than I read the comments.

Alrumon

This is getting out of hand ! There are SIX of them now ! 

 

Now serious - I wonder if this will be the new definitive or a one year only issue . Any information on that ?

I suspect it is a one year only issue. However the Royal Australian Mint have so far been silent on it. If it does end up becoming a one year only thing then I might have to Change it from a Standard Circulating coin to a Commemorative coin? We shall see how it pans out.

Regards Mike

MMowiec

Yes, I also didn't notice extra kangaroo when I added 2026 WFM yearline to the old page. Was a little surprised seeing this as new page few days later but than I read the comments.

 

And I didn't notice it when I approved the page either. But when it was pointed out to me I created the new page and had the incorrect mintage line on the normal coin swapped over.

As far as the general population here are aware no-one knows anything about it.

Mike

The 2026 coin with only Five Kangaroos on it is only available in the Uncirculated BU & Proof Sets. That version is going to be the rare one for 2026. Lots of the 2026 “Six” Roo coins are now finding their way into circulation.

Mike