1 Dollar - Elizabeth II 4th Portrait - The Great Air Race - Vickers Vimy

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 an Vickers Vimy Aircraft superimposed over a compass.

Lettering:
THE GREAT AIR RACE 1919 ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA
VICKERS VIMY
N
S
CAPT. ROSS M SMITH LT. KIETH M SMITH SGT. WALLY H SHIERS SGT. JIM M BENNETT

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 the four man crew of Captain Ross Smith with his brother Keith Smith as Navigator, plus mechanics Wally Sheirs & Jim Bennett. They were always going to be the team to beat. The weather report at Hounslow on 12 November 1919 said "totally unfit for flying". Ross Smith took off anyway - determined to catch Frenchman Etienne Poulet. The Vickers Vimy flew through snowstorms, downpours and howling gales, and was saved in Surabaya by villagers who made a runway from the woven bamboo walls of their homes. The Vimy crew landed in Darwin on 10 December 1919, claiming the £10,000 prize.
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 - Caudron G4)
• 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)

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