80 Years On: Remembering the Second World War $2 Bronze 2025 "C" Mintmark
80 Years On: Remembering the Second World War $2 Bronze 2025 "C" Mintmark is a unique collector coin struck by the Royal Australian Mint to mark the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War. Its issue pays tribute to the courage and sacrifice of Australians who served in the most tragic conflict of the 20th century. The coin is made of aluminum bronze, weighs 6.60 g, and has a diameter of 20.50 mm. Struck to an “uncirculated” standard, it is packaged in a protective capsule and an ornate presentation card.
On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany’s aggression against Poland launched the Second World War. Two days later, Australia’s Prime Minister Robert Gordon Menzies, following the United Kingdom, declared that Australia was at war with Germany. Nearly one million Australians served in the armed forces during the conflict—initially in the Mediterranean and the Middle East in 1940–1941, and, after Japan entered the war in December 1941, increasingly also in the Pacific. In 1941, women’s units of the Army, Navy, and Air Force were also formed. By the end of the war in September 1945, almost 40,000 Australians had given their lives in service to their country.
The coin commemorates these heroes by depicting on the reverse a wreath of eight red poppies—a lasting symbol of remembrance in Australia and the Commonwealth of Nations. The eight flowers symbolize the eight decades that have passed since the end of the war, and the sculpted leaves surrounding them lend elegance and depth to the composition. The reverse also bears the “C” mintmark, denoting Canberra—the place where the coin was struck.
Obverse features a portrait of King Charles III by Daniel Thorne, surrounded by inscriptions including the issuing country’s name, the year of issue, and the face value of 2 Australian dollars.
Reverse is adorned with a wreath of eight red poppies—a symbol of remembrance for the fallen—surrounded by sculpted leaves. At the center is the “C” mintmark, and along the rim are inscriptions commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.