Opening in 1965, the Royal Australian Mint (RAM) in Canberra is responsible for producing the 400 million coins required each year by Australians (Rabbit, 1993: 53). In addition to satisfying essential currency demands, government expectations in regard to 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 collection is 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 Millennium Year, the racehorse Phar Lap's 1930 Melbourne Cup win; the life of Sir Don Bradman, and Centenary of Federation. In addition to featuring events and anniversaries, non-circulating collector coins cover a wide variety of themes that have included, among others, Australia's flora and fauna, sporting heroes, royal events, and issues relevant to indigenous rights.

Paul Donnelly, Curator, June 2008

Refs:
Steve Pearce, '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 the 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 makes 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 the Millennium Year (2000), the racehorse Phar Lap's 1930 Melbourne Cup win (2000); Life of Sir Don Bradman (1908-2001); Federation Centenary State and Territory sets including Queensland, Australian Capital Territory, Norfolk Island, New South Wales, and Victoria (2001). 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.

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 Mints 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 cent coins until the end of June 1968 when it closed (Mullett 1992 preface). Perth produced two cent coins until 1970, and from 1987, operated as a state-owned operation of Goldcorp. The closing of the branches was the end of an era. The Royal Australian Mint marked its place in history as the first mint in Australia that was not 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 (11), Royal Australian Mint and Perth Mint products, circulating / non-circulating / proof, packaged commemorative and collector's sets including: Millennium Year 2000, racehorse Phar Lap's 1930 Melbourne Cup win, 2000, Life of Sir Don Bradman, 2001, Federation Centenary state sets including Queensland, Australian Capital Territory, Norfolk Island, New South Wales, Victoria 2001, gold / silver / copper / cupro-nickel / aluminium bronze / plastic / card, made by the Royal Australian Mint / Goldcorp, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia / Perth, Western Australia, 2000-2001

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 incorporating colour-printed Australian flag, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2000
$295.00
64,904 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 Centenary of Federation 2001 50c with colour-printed coat-of-arms and commemorative dollar with colour printed Federation Centenary 1901-2001 logo, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2001
$185.00
59,569 minted

Uncirculated Coin Set, 5c, 10c, 20, 50c, $1, $2; including commemorative 2001 dollar with Federation Centenary logo 1901-2001, Centenary of Federation 2001, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2001
$60.00
90,822 minted

Proof and uncirculated coin set (3) commemoratiing the life of Sir Donald Bradman. 1908-2001, in green hinged case with monogram of Bradman Museum (Bowral NSW), set no. 3966, bimetallic gold and silver / gold / bronze, / plastic / paper, Royal Australian Mint / Goldcorp, Canberra / Perth, 2001.
$550.00
5,000 minted

Uncirculated Coin Set, $1, 50c, 20c, (3), Centenary of Federation State Series - New South Wales, 50c state coat of arms, 20c school competition-winning design, in bubble-pack fold-out wallet, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2001
$80.00
Number minted: not known

Uncirculated Coin Set, $1, 50c, 20c, (3), Centenary of Federation State Series - Australian Capital Territory, 50c state coat of arms, 20c school-competition winning design, in bubble-pack fold-out wallet, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2001
$80.00
Number minted: not known

Uncirculated Coin Set, $1, 50c, 20c, (3), Centenary of Federation State Series - Victoria, 50c state coat of arms, 20c school competition-winning design, in bubble-pack fold-out wallet, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2001
$80.00
Number minted: not known

Uncirculated Coin Set, $1, 50c, 20c, (3), Centenary of Federation State Series - Queensland, 50c state coat of arms, 20c school competition-winning design, in bubble-pack fold-out wallet, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2001
$80.00
Number minted: not known

Uncirculated Coin Set, $1, 50c, 20c, (3), Centenary of Federation State Series - Norfolk Island, 50c state coat of arms, 20c school-competition winning design, in bubble-pack fold-out wallet, aluminium bronze / cupro-nickel / plastic / card, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2001
$80.00
Number minted: not known

Proof Coin, $5, Phar Lap racehorse, 1930 Melbourne Cup commemorative, in hinged plush case with card box cover and information leaflet, aluminium bronze / card / plastic, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 2000
$50.00
18,813 minted

Made: Royal Australian Mint; Canberra, Australian Capital Territory; 2000 - 2001


Used: Royal Australian Mint;

2008/201/1

2000 - 2001