20c 2026 Service Amid Strife - North Africa & Middle East UNC

This 2026 Coloured Uncirculated 20 Cent Coin issued by the Royal Australian Mint commemorates the significant North Africa and Middle East campaigns of 1941 during the Second World War.

Launched in December 1940, the Allied assault on Italian positions in Libya marked the first major ground offensive involving Australian troops during WWII. In early 1941, Australian forces played a key role in capturing the coastal cities of Bardia, Tobruk and Benghazi. Supported by naval bombardments from Royal Australian Navy vessels, the Allied advance achieved major successes before German reinforcements arrived in North Africa.

Despite the shifting tide of battle, the strategically important fortress and harbour of Tobruk remained in Allied hands. Australian and Allied troops defended the city during the famous Siege of Tobruk from April to October 1941, successfully resisting repeated attacks in one of the war’s most determined defensive campaigns.

In June 1941, Allied forces also launched an invasion of Lebanon, which had fallen under the control of Vichy French forces aligned with Nazi Germany. Australian troops were heavily involved in the fighting, and by mid-July the region had been secured by Allied forces.

These 1941 campaigns proved highly significant, denying Axis powers access to vital Middle Eastern oil reserves while helping to maintain Allied control in the region during a critical stage of the war.

Featuring a striking coloured design and presented in official Mint packaging, this 2026 20c Coloured Uncirculated Coin is a fitting tribute to the courage and service of Australians during these important wartime campaigns.

• 20 Cents (20c)
• Mintage 40,000
• Encapsulated & Carded
• Uncirculated (UNC)