Creators of coinage

A MINT is a facility where coins are made.

The first mint was set up in Sydney with the establishment of a branch of the Royal Mint in 1855. Other branches were also set up in Melbourne in 1872 and in Perth in 1899.

The Royal Australian Mint in Canberra was officially opened on February 22, 1965.

The first task of the RMA was to produce coins for the introduction of Australia’s decimal currency.

Since then it has produced more than fifteen billion circulating coins (massed produced coins used in everyday transactions).

Canberra’s Royal Australian Mint’s main function is to produce Australia’s coinage, but it also produces coins for other countries, along with medals, medallions, tokens and seals.

The only other operational mint in Australia is the Perth Mint which has been providing premium gold, silver and platinum products and services to markets throughout the world for 118 years.

The Perth Mint issues an array of bullion and highly sought-after collectable legal tender coins, bars and medallions each year.

Visitors to both the mints in Canberra and Perth can discover the history of coins in Australia and look out over the factory to learn the processes in minting.

The Guinness World Record holding Australian Kangaroo One Tonne Gold Coin is kept at the Perth Mint.

Notes are produced by Note Printing Australia in Melbourne. Check it out www.ramint.gov.au and www.perthmint.com.au