Fighting around the Mediterranean, on the sea, in the air, and on the land characterised the experience of the Australian armed forces during 1940 and 1941. The Royal Australian Mint's 1941: Service Amid Strife (Australia in the Second World War) release commemorates three of the defining engagements of that year — Greece and Crete, North Africa and the Middle East — alongside the establishment of Australia's women's auxiliary services, which first came into being in 1941.

For collectors of Australian commemorative coinage, this release adds three significant designs to the Second World War series — each with a distinct visual language drawn directly from the theatre it represents.

The Coins

Greece & Crete

The Greece and Crete design focuses on the German aerial assault on Crete. Junkers planes fly in formation overhead as German parachutes descend through the sky. The central figure is an Australian Army soldier manning an anti-aircraft gun, shown atop a structure inspired by Minoan columns — an architectural feature local to the island. A horizontal line of standing figures represents those injured, fighting, and lost in the conflict. Blue and white colour print draws from the stripes of the Greek flag.

North Africa & the Middle East

The North Africa and Middle East coin depicts materiel used by the Australian Air Force, Army, and Navy across these theatres. The HMAS Stuart — used in the evacuation of Crete — represents the Navy. A Hawker Hurricane represents the Air Force, and an Ordnance QF 25-pounder gun the Army. The background pattern is inspired by historically significant tiled patterns from the North African and Middle Eastern regions, with colour print drawn from war medals awarded for service in these areas.

Women's Services

The Women's Services coin commemorates the establishment of Australia's women's auxiliary services in 1941, depicting several of the many roles undertaken. Three lines of morse code radiate from a telegraph key near the centre, spelling out the acronyms of the three services. The colour print is inspired by the uniform colours of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force — the first and largest of the services established that year.

A Note for Collectors

The Second World War series is among the most historically significant in the Australian commemorative canon. Each release in the series focuses on a specific year and theatre, building toward a coherent archive of the Australian wartime experience rendered in numismatic form.

The three coins in this release — Greece and Crete, North Africa and the Middle East, and Women's Services — each carry a distinct colour treatment drawn directly from their subject matter. For collectors assembling a complete Australian commemorative series, this release represents a significant addition.