This 2006 one dollar piece celebrates fifty years since the introduction of television in Australia. The reverse features V. Gottwald's depiction of a studio camera and television broadcasting tower with the legend "FIFTY YEARS OF AUSTRALIAN TELEVISION" and the denomination "1 DOLLAR". The obverse houses the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II with the legend "ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2006". The coin was issued with five mint-mark varieties; Brisbane (B), Melbourne (M), Canberra (C), Sydney (S), and (TV).
On September 16th 1956, following some initial test transmissions, Bruce Gyngell introduced the first television program in Australia on Sydney's TCN9 channel. About two weeks later Melbourne conducted its first full transmission, broadcasting cartoons and a John Wayne film. On November 5 the National Television Service was officially opened and the first ABC television station began broadcasting in Sydney and shortly after the second began broadcasting in Melbourne. The new television service would face its first major challenge that very month when they began broadcasting the 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics.