FROM HEAVY METAL TO WINNING BLING
NORTH Stradbroke artist Delvene Cockatoo-Collins has designed the artwork for the GC2018 medals – but actually creating them will be in the hands of the Royal Australian Mint.
The medals are crafted using the Mint’s coin-making process and the very same presses used to make Australian currency.
The Mint receives strips of metal and punches out the 63mm diameter circular metal blanks. The blanks are then struck with the design, transforming the metal into a medal.
Using this refined process, more than 1000 medals can be produced per day.
Each medal blank is inspected by hand and individually placed in the Mint’s largest coin press.
They are then struck four times to ensure Delvene’s design is perfectly formed on the metal surface.
The gold and silver medals are struck four times, twice at 280 tonnes and then another two times at 260 tonnes. The bronze medals are also struck four times but at 460 tonnes.
Once they are removed from the press, the medals are inspected again, ensuring the medal is faultless and ready to be awarded to the fortunate few Commonwealth Games champions.