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Australia Waltzing Matilda

1995-C  One Dollar reverse 1995-C  One Dollar obverse

1995-C One Dollar

Mintage:171,709
Reverse Designer:Vladimir Gottwald Obverse Designer:Raphael Maklouf Size:25mm Weight:9g Edge:Interrupted Composition:92% Copper
6% Aluminium
2% Nickel

Values

Sales History

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Waltzing Matilda is an iconic Australian ballad. It is often referred to as Australia's unofficial national anthem. The origins of this song go back 100 years and the Royal Australian mint chose this time to strike this commemorative one dollar. The 1995 mint your own dollar coin was struck to commemorate 100 years since Banjo Patterson's Waltzing Matilda was first put to music. It features a depiction of the Aussie swagman on the reverse and Maklouf's portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse . The legend reads "ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1995". The piece was issued in four counter-stamped varieties; Sydney (S), Melbourne (M), Canberra (C), and Brisbane (B).

Canberra (C) counter-stamp on 1995-C (Waltzing Matilda) One Dollar piece. Canberra (C) counter-stamp on 1995-C (Waltzing Matilda) One Dollar piece.

Originally, this song was penned by Andrew 'Banjo' Paterson at the old Dagworth Homestead, Queensland in January 1895 (ABC News, 2003) . It was said to be influenced by the Great Shearers Strike of 1894 and is, therefore, a politically motivated protest song. There are some that argue against this and even the song's author. The lyrics suggest that it was a drifter, or swagman, carrying his worldly possessions and his swag on his back. He then stole a sheep and rests under a tree for a cup of tea. The Police and the sheep's owner arrive to arrest him but he would rather drown than be captured, so he jumps into a billabong and drowns. He subsequently goes on to haunt the area for years to come.

"Oh there once was a swagman camped in the billabong. Under the shade of a Coolabah tree. And he sang as he looked at the old billy boiling. Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me. Who'll come a waltzing Matilda my darling. Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me. Waltzing Matilda leading a tucker bag. Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me. Down came a jumbuck to drink at the water hole. Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him in glee. And he said as he put him away in the tucker bag. You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me. You'll come a waltzing Matilda my darling. You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me. Waltzing Matilda leading a tucker bag. You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me. Down came the squatter a riding on his thoroughbred. Down came policemen one, two and three. Where is the jumbuck you've got in the tucker bag. You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me. You'll come a waltzing Matilda my darling. You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me. Waltzing Matilda leading a tucker bag. You'll come a waltzing Matilda with me. But the swagman he ups and he jumps in the water hole. Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree. And his ghost can be heard as it sings in the billabong. Who'll come a waltzing Matilda with me."

These lyrics by Banjo Paterson are considered to be the original words that he wrote and were published in 1902. Banjo Paterson was a poet and wrote many ballads over the years but this is the one that took on the Australian Anthem as the most popular. The real Australian Anthem is Advance Australia Fair which was originally written for the Sydney Presbyterian Ladies College (Websterworld, 2014) .

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