1 Dollar - Elizabeth II 4th Portrait - The Great Air Race - Caudron G4

Features

Commemorative issue

Centenary of The Great Air Race

Obverse

4th portrait of Queen Elizabeth II facing right wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara

Lettering:
ELIZABETH II
AUSTRALIA 2019
IRB
1 DOLLAR

Engraver: Ian Rank-Broadley

Reverse

A depiction of a Caudron G4 Aircraft superimposed over a compass.

Lettering:
THE GREAT AIR RACE 1919 ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA
CAUDRON G4
N
S
ETIENNE POULET JEAN BENOIST

Engraver: S. Stojanovic

Edge

7 shorter smooth segments between 7 reeded segments (11 grooves each)

© Mike Bentley

Comments

This NCLT Aluminium-bronze $1 coin was released by the RAM as part of a set of eight coins. It was issued in a coincard inside a metal tin that resembles part of an aircraft engine. Only 10,000 sets will be issued at AU$130.00 per set.


The eight coin set is commemorating the Centenary of the "Great Air Race" that took place in 1919 when seven different aircrews and their aircraft attempted to be the first to fly between England and Australia in less than 30 Days. A prize of £10,000 was announced by Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes for the first Australian crew to make it home in a British-built plane. This is a map of the route taken.


This particular coin depicts the aircraft flown by charismatic Frenchman Etienne Poulet. He was not eligible to win the £10,000 prize, but he was very capable of stealing the glory. In a very tiny Caudron G.4 biplane with twin 80hp engines, Poulet and his mechanic Jean Benoist made it all the way to Burma before Ross Smith's Vickers Vimy finally overtook them. Smith and Poulet made a pact to fly on together over uncharted territory to Bangkok, but a series of engine woes ended the Caudron's race in Burma. This is the front & back of the coincard it was issued in.

See also

• Plane

• 1 Dollar - Elizabeth II (4th Portrait - The Great Air Race - Airco DH9)
• 1 Dollar - Elizabeth II (4th Portrait - The Great Air Race - Alliance P.2 Endeavour )
• 1 Dollar - Elizabeth II (4th Portrait - The Great Air Race - Blackburn Kangaroo)
• 1 Dollar - Elizabeth II (4th Portrait - The Great Air Race - Globe)
• 1 Dollar - Elizabeth II (4th Portrait - The Great Air Race - Martinsyde A1)
• 1 Dollar - Elizabeth II (4th Portrait - The Great Air Race - Sopwith Wallaby)
• 1 Dollar - Elizabeth II (4th Portrait - The Great Air Race - Vickers Vimy)

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