1 Dollar - Elizabeth II 6th Portrait - 150 Years of the RSPCA - Guinea Pig

The RSPCA in Australia traces its origins to 1871, when the first colonial branch was established in Victoria, predating Federation by three decades. The 2021 series marking 150 years of the organisation's local presence used pad printing — a process that transfers ink via a silicone pad onto the coin's surface — to achieve the colour detail that conventional die striking cannot produce on a coin of this diameter.

The guinea pig issue is one of several animals featured across the commemorative release, reflecting the RSPCA's expanding remit beyond livestock welfare into domestic pet protection, a shift that only gained formal policy traction in the mid-twentieth century.