 The Commonweaalth Arms are commonly but incorrectly referred to as the 'Commonwealth Crest'. Strictly the Crest is the device above the shield and hemlet on a Coat of Arms. In Australia's case it is the seven-pointed gold star on the wreath. The first official coat of arms of Australia was granted by a Royal Warrant of King Edward VII in 1908. Long after it became officially obsolete, this Coat of Arms continued to be used on some Australian coins. It appeared on the sixpenny piece until 1966. The present Coat of Arms was granted by Royal Warrant by King George V on 19th September, 1912 to be borne and used 'upon Seals, Shields, Banners, or otherwise according to the Laws of Arms'. In Heraldic terms, the Warrant describes the Arms as: 'Quarterly of six, the first quarter Argent a Cross Gules charged with a Lion passant guardant between on each limb a Mullet of eight points Or; the second Azure five Mullets, one of eight, two of seven, one of six and one of five points of the first (representing the Constellation of the Southern Cross) ensigned with an Imperial Crown proper; the third of the first a Maltese Cross of the fourth, surmounted by a like Imperial Crown; the fourth of the third, on a Perch wreathed Vert and Gules an Australian Piping Shrike displayed also proper; the fifth also Or a Swan naiant to the sinister Sable; the last of the first, a Lion passant of the second, the whole within a Bordure Ermine; for the Crest on a Wreath Or and Azure A Seven-pointed Star Or, and for Supporters dexter a Kangaroo, sinister an Emu, both proper'.The branches of wattle used as an ornamental accessory to the shield are not part of the armorial ensigns and supporters and are therefore not mentioned in the Royal Warrant, nor are the rests for the kangaroo and the emu and other ornamentations. However, it has been the convention to ornament the Arms with sprays of wattle and the word 'AUSTRALIA' (sometimes on a scroll). In todays terms, the Australian Coat of Arms consists of a shield containing the badges of the six States of Australia, enclosed by an ermine border signifying Federation. The crest is a seven-pointed gold star on a blue and gold wreath. Six points represent each of the States of the Commonwealth, the seventh point represents the Commonwealth Territories. The supporters are native Australian fauna: a kangaroo and an emu. Usually the Arms are depicted with an adornment of wattle leaves (Acacia pycnantha), and a scroll bearing the word `Australia' under the Arms. The wattle and scroll, however, do not constitute part of the Arms. The Badges of the six States of the Commonwealth arranged on a shield in two rows of three columns are:
The Australian Government uses the Coat of Arms to authenticate documents and for other official purposes. Despite popular tradition, Australia has never adopted any official motto or floral, faunal or bird emblem. By tradition the golden wattle, kangaroo and emu are widely accepted as national floral, faunal and bird emblems. For many years, the motto `Advance Australia' appeared on unofficial Coats of Arms, even before the Federation of the States in 1901. It was included in the 1908 Arms, and was popularly accepted in association with the 19th century patriotic song Advance Australia Fair. A revised version of this song officially became Australia's national anthem on April 19, 1984. On that same day, Australia also officially adopted green and gold as its national colours. Until then, the nation had no official national colours, although the use of green and gold by Australia's international sporting teams had become a tradition and had been associated with its Olympic teams since the 1920s.
The Australian Coat of Arms is featured on the following coins:
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