To commemorate Australia’s last major action in the Vietnam War, the Royal Australian Mint has released a new commemorative coin, marking the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Nui Le.

The Battle of Nui Le sought to prevent enemy forces from gaining a foothold. Launched on Sept. 19, 1971, it was a search-and-destroy sweep that saw Australian forces engage in a series of heavy contacts with the 33rd NVA Regiment.

Five Australians died in the intense fighting, with 30 more wounded.

Developed in collaboration with members of the 4th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment/New Zealand, (4RAR/NZ — the ANZAC Battalion), the coin shows a scene inspired by the elements of the Battle of Nui Le. It features the iconic Iroquois helicopter that was used to evacuate wounded Australian soldiers during the battle, which was part of Operation Ivanhoe.

Former member of the 4RAR Greg Shannon worked with the Royal Australian Mint on the design of this coin, to ensure it was an accurate representation of the battle.

The Jody Clark effigy of Queen Elizabeth II appears on the obverse.

The Uncirculated 2021 Battle of Nui Le 50-cent coin has a limited mintage of 27,500, retailing for $10 Australian. The coin is not intended for circulation.

They are available now from the Mint’s eShop, https://eshop.ramint.gov.au.

This coin is the second release in a series commemorating the Last Battles of the Vietnam War; the first 50-cent coin in the series, for the Battle of Long Khanh, is also available in the eShop.

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