MINT ISSUE ISSUE 108 FEBRUARY 2016 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 Factory walkthrough visitors at the 2015 Mint Open Day. 3 The Changeover Tour in Newcastle, NSW. 6 The Changeover Tour in Wollongong, NSW. 2 The Mint opens it's doors at the 2015 Mint Open Day. 4 The Changeover Tour in Newcastle, NSW. 7 The Mint at the WMF Berlin 2015. 5 The Changeover Tour in Tamworth, NSW. 8 International Business Director Dr Prabir De at the WMF Berlin 2015. DEARCOLLECTOR CONTENTS A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO Featured Products 4 50th Anniversary of Decimal Currency 4 Happy New Year! As we say goodbye to 2015, the fun filled year of celebrations for the In Come the Dollars, In Come the Cents 6 Royal Australian Mint‘s 50th anniversary, we welcome 2016 marking the golden anniversary Australia's First Mints – Growth from Gold 8 of Australian decimal currency. Australian Saltwater Crocodiles – Monty 10 We have a lot of exciting products and activities planned for this year and have already started the Lunar Series – Year of the Monkey 12 celebrations in Berlin at the World Money Fair, sharing this historic Australian milestone with the With Love 14 world. Please see page 23 to see products released in Berlin to mark this momentous occasion. On Saturday 13 February 2016, the day everyone has been waiting for since last year’s Open Day, Products 16 you’ll get another chance to come and walkthrough our working factory at the Royal Australian Mint Open Day! Come along and share in the celebrations for the golden anniversary Alphabet Collection – Personalised Baby Set 16 of Australian decimal currency! Please see page 31 for more information on the Open Day and page 5 for the special release. Alphabet Collection – Proof and Uncirculated Baby Sets 17 As many of you know, late last year, the Mint went on the first leg of The Changeover Tour, named Alphabet Collection – especially for this anniversary year, bringing the minting experience to the people of Wollongong, Individual Fine Silver Coins 18 Newcastle, Tamworth and Dubbo. Following this success, the Mint will continue to share the Alphabet Collection – decimal currency story with other states and territories throughout the year. The next locations of Individual Frosted Uncirculated Coins 19 the tour are soon to be announced so please continue to check in with our social media channels Sydney New Year's Eve 20 and website for updates. The Changeover – I hope many of you get the chance to celebrate this anniversary with us either through our 50th Anniversary of Decimal Currency 21 stunning 2016 coin releases or at one of our events this year. Kangaroo Series – Seasons Change 22 Best wishes for a successful 2016! World Money Fair Berlin 2016 23 Unlikely Heroes Great and Small 24 Catalogue 25 Ross MacDiarmid Meet the Minties 28 Chief Executive Officer From the Vault 29 Royal Australian Mint What's On 30 Open Day 31 NEW 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF AUSTRALIAN DECIMAL CURRENCY ROUND 50c GOLD PLATED COIN 4 5 SPECIAL RELEASE Available from 13 February 2016! This golden round 50c coin celebrates fifty years of decimal 2016 Round 50c Gold Plated currency and is symbolic of the first round 50c coin that Uncirculated Coin $20.00 Australia ever saw. 310964 Available for 50 days only from 13 February – 4 April 2016. Combining the shape and metal composition of the original 1966 50c circulating coin, while featuring the edge profile of the current 50c dodecagon circulating coin, this unique gold release brings together the old and the new. A mintage of 21 966 has been set to reflect the start of the ‘changeover’ period of February 1966. As part of the Open Day on 13 February 2016, there will be exclusive ‘Open Day’ packaging on an allocation of this Nominal Specifications mintage – only available if you come to the Mint on the day 50c CuNi gold plated 15.37 g 31.51 mm uncirculated 21 966 S. Devlin to join in with our celebrations! 4 5 NEW 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF AUSTRALIAN DECIMAL CURRENCY IN COME THE DOLLARS, IN COME THE CENTS 6 7 A significant day for Australia fifty years ago was 2016 Six Coin Uncirculated Set $66.00 14 February 1966 when pounds, shillings and pence 310903 were replaced by dollars and cents. The conversion from imperial to decimal currency was first introduced as an election promise from Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies in 1958. After eight years of careful planning and public education – including a memorable publicity campaign featuring Dollar Bill, Currency Day arrived Nominal Specifications on schedule in 1966. 1c Bronze 2.59 g 17.53 mm uncirculated 10 000 S. Devlin 2c Bronze 5.18 g 21.59 mm uncirculated 10 000 S. Devlin To celebrate this momentous milestone, the Mint has 5c CuNi 2.83 g 19.41 mm uncirculated 10 000 S. Devlin produced a unique set comprising of the original coins 10c CuNi 5.66 g 23.6 mm uncirculated 10 000 S. Devlin released on this day including a 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c and a 20c CuNi 11.30 g 28.52 mm uncirculated 10 000 S. Devlin round 50c coin. 50c Ag800 13.28 g 31.50 mm uncirculated 10 000 S. Devlin 6 7 NEW 2016 MINTMARK SERIES AUSTRALIA’S FIRST MINTS 8 9 On the 50th anniversary of Australian decimal currency, the 2016 Four Coin Mintmark and Australia's First Mints product range pays tribute to the coins, Privy Mark Set $25.00 mints and gold rushes which were vital chapters in the early 310887 story of our currency. 2016 $1 Silver Proof ‘C’ Mintmark Coin $50.00 Each coin’s reverse emulates a Sydney Mint sovereign, 210462 a design unique to Australia. 2016 $10 Gold Proof ‘C’ Mintmark Coin $300.00 210464 This 2016 Mintmark Series perfectly exhibits our ‘Growth from This design will be used on the Mint's gallery press in Canberra. Gold’ and is fitting for those looking to mark this historic Australian anniversary in a special way. Presented in aluminium bronze with a ‘C’ mintmark and Nominal Specifications ‘S’, ‘B’ and ‘M’ privy marks, this uncirculated four coin set $1 AlBr 9.00 g 25.00 mm uncirculated unlimited Royal Australian Mint $1 Ag 99.9% 11.66 g 25.00 mm proof 5000 Royal Australian Mint celebrates Australian society’s growth from the 19th century. $10 Au 99.99% 1/10 oz 17.53 mm proof 1500 Royal Australian Mint 8 9 NEW AUSTRALIAN SALTWATER CROCODILES MONTY – HIGH RELIEF 10 11 Continuing the Mint’s collaboration with Australia Zoo, the 2016 $1 Fine Silver popular Australian Saltwater Crocodiles series features the Frosted Uncirculated Coin $80.00 beloved movie star crocodile, Monty. The 400 kilogram, 310905 3.7 metre long Saltwater Crocodile rose to fame in the movie 2016 $5 High Relief The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course and has been a member Silver Proof Coin $100.00 of the Australia Zoo family for more than forty years. 210492 Please note, the Australian Saltwater Crocodiles series is only available to Monty again comes to life on the newest stunning silver coin domestic customers. which has been meticulously crafted to proof quality with a high relief. With an extremely low mintage of 1500 this modern, artistic coin is sure to be snapped up soon! Nominal Specifications $1 Ag 99.9% 1 oz 40.00 mm frosted uncirculated 5000 T. Dean $5 Ag 99.9% 1 oz 32.00 mm proof 1500 B. King 10 11 LUNAR SERIES YEAR OF THE MONKEY 12 13 This February 2016, celebrate the Year of the Monkey and 2016 $1 Uncirculated Coin $13.50 Chinese New Year with the Royal Australian Mint Lunar Series. 310653 Clever and innovative, quick-witted and versatile, people born 2016 $1 Fine Silver Proof Coin $50.00 in the year of the monkey are said to have enviable skills that 210389 will bring them an everlasting love life. 2016 $1 Fine Silver Proof Coin – 1 oz $88.00 210391 2016 $10 Gold Proof Coin $300.00 210397 Nominal Specifications 2016 $10 Fine Silver Proof Coin – 5 oz $1 AlBr 9.00 g 25.00 mm uncirculated 20 000 Royal Australian Mint $320.00 $1 Ag 99.9% 11.66 g 25.00 mm proof 10 000 Royal Australian Mint 210393 $1 Ag 99.9% 1 oz 40.00 mm proof 3000 Royal Australian Mint 2016 $30 Fine Silver Proof Coin – 1 kg $1,695.00 $10 Au 99.99% 1/10 oz 17.53 mm proof 1500 Royal Australian Mint 210395 $10 Ag 99.9% 5 oz 65.10 mm proof 500 Royal Australian Mint For more products from the Lunar Series, visit eshop.ramint.gov.au. $30 Ag 99.9% 1 kg 99.95 mm proof 500 Royal Australian Mint 12 13 NEW PERFECT FOR VALENTINE'S DAY WITH LOVE 14 15 Love is free yet binds us. Love can’t be bought or sold. 2016 $5 Fine Silver Proof Love can be blind. Love needs nurturing. Love is everything. Heart-Shaped Coin $100.00 510846 The perfect token of love for that someone special in your life, this fine silver coloured coin features classic symbols of love including forget-me-nots and an eternity knot emblazoned on a special heart-shaped coin. Whether it is a present to your sweetheart, best friend, child, parent or partner, share your love this Valentine’s Day with this touching heart-shaped coin. Celebrate the love of giving to those who are dear to your heart with this memorable piece to cherish as a sentimental Nominal Specifications keepsake or invaluable heirloom.