Perth Mint Goes for Gold, Silver and Bronze at Beijing

   

The Perth Mint has released commemorative gold, silver and bronze coins celebrating the Australian Olympic Team’s participation at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Authorised by the Australian Olympic Committee, the suite includes a prestigious 10g coin struck from 99.99% pure gold in proof quality. The coin’s reverse depicts the Australian ‘Flags and Rings’ Olympic logo in colour surrounded by stylised representations of the Sydney Opera House and the Beijing Olympic Stadium.

The suite also includes an impressive 1oz coin struck from 99.9% pure silver in proof quality, which features the coloured ‘Flags and Rings’ logo and a stylised athlete intertwined with an image of a traditional Chinese dragon.

Housed in red presentation display cases, the coins are restricted to limited mintages reflecting the auspiciousness of the number ‘8′ in Chinese culture. No more than 2,008 pure gold coins and a maximum of 8,808 pure silver coins will be released.

Both coins are also available in a Three-Coin Set including an aluminium bronze $1 coin depicting the ‘Flags and Rings’ logo with images of a boxing kangaroo and a Chinese dragon. No more than 888 of these sets will be released.

Issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965, all three coins bear the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse.

Available from The Perth Mint Shop, located at 310 Hay Street, East Perth, or on FREECALL 1800 098 817, the Three-Coin Set retails at $890.00, while individual gold and silver coins cost $795.00 and $95.00 respectively.

In stock at Australia Post outlets and other leading coin distributors, the Australian Olympic Team commemorative releases can also be purchased via The Perth Mint’s online store at www.perthmint.com.au.

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About The Perth Mint

The Perth Mint, wholly-owned by the State Government of Western Australia, is the official issuer of the Australian Federal Government’s Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Program. The Mint opened in 1899 in response to the discovery of rich gold deposits in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie.  It was Australia’s third branch of Britain’s Royal Mint - the others being the Sydney Mint and the Melbourne Mint (both closed).

The Perth Mint remained under Britain’s jurisdiction until 1 July 1970, when ownership transferred to the State Government of Western Australia. 

In 2003, The Perth Mint officially opened an 8,400 square metre state-of-the-art manufacturing facility next door to its original limestone building.  Dominating the Mint’s heritage precinct, these two important buildings are powerful symbols of more than 100 years of minting excellence in Western Australia.