New coins produced to honour the centenary of Queen Elizabeth have faced criticism, with some even labelling them a “monstrosity”. The Royal Australian Mint produced two $5.50 (£2.56) coins to mark 100 years since the birth of the late Queen in 1926.
Instead of displaying Queen Elizabeth in profile, as has been consistently used on coinage, the Australian mint chose a full-frontal portrait, which drew major backlash from royal experts and the public.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams blasted the portrait, calling it “grotesque” and stating that the portrait resembles “the Wicked Witch of the West”.
Mr Fitzwilliams added that throughout Queen Elizabeth’s reign, her portraits on coins were “always dignified,” and the new Australian design departed from that tradition.
The Royal Australian Mint employed artist Alex Stokic to depict the Queen in her later years. In response to the criticism, the Royal Australian Mint highlighted that the coin images “don’t always capture the full beauty of a design once it’s etched in metal”.
People on social media also contributed to the backlash, likening the portrait to Mrs Brown from Mrs Brown’s Boys and Mrs Doubtfire, a fictional housekeeper in a comedy, played by the late Robin Williams.
On Facebook, one commented: “If I saw that face without the hairdo and pearls, would never guess who it was meant to be.”
Another wrote: “Who’s the woman? Like honestly. Looks nothing like her”, while another questioned whether it was “a stitch up?”.
Extremely disappointed by the coin, Mr Fitzwilliams stated: “If the Queen had resembled his monstrosity, Australia would have been a republic years ago.”
As well as the controversial portrait, the commemorative coin features decorative elements honouring the late Queen’s passions, including outlines of a horse and a corgi.
It also features her royal cypher with a St Edward’s Crown and the Auxiliary Territorial Service emblem, in recognition of her being the first female member of the Royal Family to serve in the armed forces.
Collectors will find a King Charles portrait on the reverse.