Opening in 1965, the Royal Australian Mint (RAM) in Canberra holds responsibility for producing the 400 million coins required each year by Australians (Rabbit, 1993: 53). In addition to satisfying essential currency demands, government expectations toward supplementing running costs has resulted in a rich selection of collectable (non-circulating legal tender) being produced for the collectable market. Prior to the operation of the RAM the first Mints in Australia opened in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth as a response to the discovery of gold in Australia. These mints operated as branches of the Royal Mint in London - outposts of Britain flying the Union Jack in their respective states. Sydney was open from 1856-1926, Melbourne 1872-1968, and Perth 1899-1970. The closing of the branch mints marked the end of an era with The Royal Australian Mint the first mint in Australia not to be a branch of the Royal Mint in London.

This acquisition offers an excellent cross-section of the range of products made by the RAM in Canberra. At one end are the packaged sets of Australia's day-to-day coinage, and at the other, sets of silver and gold versions of coins minted in spectacular finishes from specially prepared dies (steel intaglio stamps). The various types of technical production are well represented including Proof finish coins (from highly polished dies often with contrasting frosted details), and Specimen finish (coins from specially prepared dies but not quite Proof).

Coins produced by the RAM frequently include commemorative designs to celebrate international and national anniversaries or events of importance. In this way coins (as well as stamps) are today's unofficial markers of events and anniversaries of national and international importance that act as a de facto barometer for what Australian society considers important at any one time. The collection in this acquisition features coins commemorating a number of such events including the centenary of Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith's birth, the bicentennial of Bass and Flinders exploration and naming of Bass Strait, United Nations International Year of Older Persons and the Millennium Year. In addition to featuring events and anniversaries, non-circulating collector coins cover a wider variety of themes that has included among others, Australia's flora and fauna, sporting heroes, royal events, and issues relevant to indigenous rights.

Paul Donnelly, Curator, June 2008

Refs:
Making Money: 'The story of the Royal Australian Mint', published about 2003.
Michael Rabbit, 'The coin book' Hale and Iremonger, Sydney, 1993.

Since 1965 the Royal Australian Mint (RAM) in Canberra has been responsible for producing Australia's coinage and mints more than 400 million coins required each year by Australians (Rabbit, 1993: 53). In addition to this core currency requirement are a variety of special coins produced specifically for collectors and the souvenir/gift market. These special issues are important business for the Mint and a great variety of single coins and coin sets are produced for sale. In the main these can take one of three forms:
1. Ordinary circulating legal tender in presentation packaging. Circulating coins are those used in everyday cash transactions for the payment of goods and services.
2. Legal tender produced in specially prepared finishes such as Proof (made from polished dies often combined with a contrasting frosted background or design).
3. Non-circulating legal tender of unusual denominations in specially prepared forms such as Proof, Piedfort (double ordinary thickness) and/or precious metal (silver, gold or platinum) in presentation packaging (NB this group does not have a Piedfort example).

Both 2 and 3 are in effect non-circulating legal tender because the expense of labour-intensive specialised production and packaging make the price of a coin or set far greater than the denomination value of the coins. In this way a spectacularly shiny and flawless Proof dollar coin in a special case is worth many more times than its 'ONE DOLLAR' marked as its denomination (spending or coin value). As legal tender such a coin could be spent in a shop as a dollar, but it would be a foolish thing to do!

Some circulating (legal tender) coins are issued with commemorative designs to celebrate international and national anniversaries or events of importance. The collection in this acquisition features coins commemorating a number of such events including birth of Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith (1997), bicentennial of Bass and Flinders exploration of Bass Strait (1998), United Nations International Year of Older Persons (1999) and Millennium Year (2000). Generally Coins used for commemorative issues are restricted to specific-value coins with the policy of the Royal Australian Mint to use only the one dollar coin, the 50 cent coin and, in rarer circumstances, the 20 cent coin. In addition to featuring events and anniversaries, non-circulating collector coins cover a wider variety of themes that has included among others, Australia's flora and fauna, sporting heroes, royal events, and issues relevant to indigenous rights. In this selection is a non-circulating 'Masterpieces in Silver' set featuring the 1999 nostalgic collection of (Australian) 'Coins of the 20th Century'.

Australian circulating coins normally feature on their reverse the images of the echidna (five cents), the lyrebird (10 cents), the platypus (20 cents), the coat of arms (50 cents), the kangaroo (one dollar) and an Aboriginal tribal elder (two dollars). Because there is only one working Mint producing Australia's legal tender (circulating coins), The Royal Australian Mint in Canberra has a number of travelling presses that produce (usually) one dollar coins at other centres - usually Sydney and Melbourne. In these instances a tiny mintmark distinguishes the coin from the usually plain Canberra version. However, the exceptions to this rule are the 'interactive' presses in the Canberra mint whereby visitors can make their own dollar which comes with a C (Canberra) mint mark. The obverse (front) of Australian legal tender coins (circulating and non-circulating) must feature the approved portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.

Paul Donnelly, Curator, June 2008

Refs:
Michael Rabbit, 'The coin book' Hale and Iremonger, Sydney, 1993.
Greg McDonald, 'Australian Coins and Banknotes', Lavington NSW, 2008
The Royal Australian Mint website: http://www.ramint.gov.au/

The Royal Australian Mint was officially opened on Monday 22 February 1965. Prior to this time the first Mints in Australia were in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. The discovery of gold in Australia prompted the opening of these mints as branches of the Royal Mint in London - outposts of Britain flying the Union Jack in their respective states. Sydney was open from 1856-1926, Melbourne 1872-1968, and Perth 1899-1970. An important year for all the branch Mints was 1931 when gold sovereign coins (worth one pound or 20 shillings) ceased to be struck in Australia. It was for the manufacturing of sovereigns that the branch mints had been formed, and it was the gold sovereign (and half sovereigns) that were the main form into which freshly-mined Australian gold was minted into currency. Perth and Melbourne continued in production the longest making silver, bronze, and in the 1960s, decimal coinage. In fact, such was the demand during the changeover to decimal coinage on14 February 1966 that Melbourne overlapped in production with Canberra for a couple of years, and continued making one cents until the end of June 1968 when it closed (Mullett 1992 preface). Perth produced two cents until 1970 and from 1987 operated as a state-owned operation of Goldcorp. The closing of the branches was the end of an era with The Royal Australian Mint marking its place in history as the first mint in Australia not to be a branch of the Royal Mint, London.

Paul Donnelly, Curator, June 2008

Refs:
Making Money: 'The story of the Royal Australian Mint', published by the RAM about 2003.
Michael Rabbit, 'The coin book' Hale and Iremonger, Sydney, 1993.
WJ Mullett, 'Melbourne Mint branch of the Royal Mint: The establishment', self-published 1992.

Coin sets (13), Royal Australian Mint, circulating / uncirculated / proof, packaged commemorative and collector's sets including: centenary of birth of Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, bicentennial of Bass and Flinders exploration of Bass Strait, United Nations International Year of Older Persons, Millennium Year, Coins of the 20th Century, 99.9% silver / copper / cupro-nickel / aluminium bronze / plastic / card, made by the Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia, 1997-2000

Uncirculated coin presentation bubble-pack wallet set, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c, $1, $2; the $1 a commemorative set depicting Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 1997
$90
71,022 minted

Proof coin set in plush hinged wallet case and card cover, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c, $1, $2; the $1 a commemorative set depicting Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 1997
$185.00
32,543 minted

Uncirculated coin presentation bubble-pack wallet set, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c $1, $2; the 50c with image of the naval explorers George Bass & Matthew Flinders, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 1998
$40.00
74,108 minted

Proof coin set in plush hinged wallet case and card cover, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c $1, $2; the 50c with image of the naval explorers George Bass & Matthew Flinders, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 1998
$185.00
32,225 minted

Uncirculated coin set bubble-pack wallet, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c, $1, $2, the $1 with United Nations International Year of Older Persons logo, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 1999
$50.00
70,067 minted

Proof coin set in plush hinged wallet and card cover, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c, $1, $2; the $1 with United Nations International Year of Older Persons logo, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 1999
$195.00
28,056 minted

Uncirculated coin set, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c $1, $2; including commemorative 50c MILLENNIUM YEAR with Australian flag, Year 2000 bubble pack wallet, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2000
$120.00
106,394 minted


Proof coin set in plush hinged wallet and card cover, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c $1, $2; including commemorative 50c MILLENNIUM YEAR with unique to proof version colour-printed Australian flag, Year 2000 bubble pack wallet, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2000
$295.00
64,904 minted

Proof coin 'Masterpieces in Silver' pre-decimal rare date set; 1939 halfpenny (5 cents), 1930 penny (10 cents), 1942 threepence (20 cents), 1918 sixpence (50 cents), 1940 shilling (one dollar), 1920 sovereign (two dollars), pamphlet 'Coins of the 20th Century memories', plush hinged box set in removable card cover, 99.9 pure silver, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 1999
$175.00
15,000 minted

Proof bi-metallic coin, $10 Millennium Series 'The Past' image of Australia with sprouting plant over, first in three of the Millennium Coin Series, hinged case, outer ring of coin 99.9% silver and centre 99.9% copper, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 1999
$795.00
20,000 minted

Proof coin, $1 Silver Kangaroo Series, depicts two kangaroos with text: 1 OUNCE FINE SILVER, hinged case in card outer box (no certificate), 99.9% pure silver, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 1999
$120.00
11,250 minted

Proof coin, $1 Silver Kangaroo Series, depicts kangaroo over outline of Australia with text: 1 OUNCE FINE SILVER, hinged case in card outer box and certificate, 99.9% pure silver, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2000
$120.00
9,972 minted

Specimen (almost Proof) coin, $1 Pure Silver Kangaroo Series, text: 1 OUNCE FINE SILVER, Silver Kangaroo coin, bubble card presentation, 99.9% pure silver, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2000
$55.00
35,426 minted

Made: Royal Australian Mint; Canberra, Australian Capital Territory; 1997 - 2000


Used: Royal Australian Mint;

2008/200/1

1997 - 2000