At 73, Charles was the oldest heir to the British throne in history. As king, he is now also the head of state of Australia. The Australian dollar coins continue a centuries-old tradition: successive monarchs on coins look alternately to the left or right. After Queen Elizabeth II faced right for more than 70 years, King Charles III now faces left.

While the portrait is featured on all the obverses of the coins, the reverses depict some of Australia's extraordinary animal species, the national coat of arms and an Aboriginal Australian. The animals include an echidna, a superb lyrebird, a platypus and a group of kangaroos.