NSW student's design featured in new State coin set
Royal Australian Mint's Centenary of Federation Coins launched by Minister
1st February 2001
The first collector coin designed by a New South Wales school student was unveiled by the Minister for Financial Services & Regulation, Hon Joe Hockey MP, in Sydney today.
Joseph Neve, a year 11 student from Bellingen High School, designed the 20c coin, part of a special set produced by the Royal Australian Mint to commemorate Australia's Centenary of Federation.
The coin designed by Joseph is a result of a national competition run by the Royal Australian Mint. School students were asked to represent on a coin what is special about their State or Territory. Approximately 1200 design entries were received from students from nearly 400 schools in New South Wales. Joseph's design features a skilfully hand-drawn Waratah (the NSW floral emblem) against a silhouetted map of New South Wales.
"Coinage is crucial in reflecting the mood of a nation and reminding it, each and every day, of who it is and where it has been. So it will be Joseph's designed 20c piece which Australians will use now - and in the future - when putting coins into a parking meter, picking up a newspaper or buying a loaf of bread," Mr Hockey said.
"I am very glad that my design was chosen as the winning entry for NSW. I consider it a great honour" Joseph said.
Joseph's 20c coin design, a 50c piece depicting the NSW Coat of Arms and a $1 coin that features the Centenary of Federation logo are combined in a Three-Coin Set unique to New South Wales. This set is the first of a nine set series that will be released progressively throughout 2001, by the Mint for all Australian States and self-governing Territories.
Other State or Territory coin sets will feature the common $1 coin depicting the Centenary of Federation logo, a 50c piece depicting the respective State/Territory Coat of Arms, and a 20c coin unique to each State/Territory designed by school students.
In addition, all of the coins will be collected in a 20 coin set that will be added to as each State/Territory set is released. Coin sets are available from The Royal Australian Mint on 1300 652 020, coin dealers, and later in February in selected Australia Post outlets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Royal Australian Mint designed an extensive commemorative coin program for 2001 to celebrate the Centenary of Federation and sought designs from school pupils and students for a series of 20c commemorative coins for every Australian State and self-governing Territory.
Primary and secondary schools Australia wide were invited to participate in the competition for the design of a 20 cent coin to represent what is special about their State or self-governing Territory as part of the Commonwealth.
The NSW design is the first of nine to be progressively released during 2001. Each State and self-governing Territory will have its own student designed 20 cent coin,as well as a 50 cent coin bearing its official Coat of Arms. The coins will be released initially as collector coins, and later in the year in circulating form.
The NSW 20c coin, designed by Joseph Neve, is the first coin designed by an Australian school student ever issued. It will be only the second time that a commemorative 20 cent coin has been issued, the first being the United Nations design released in 1995.
Entries were judged based on their artistic merit, commemorative appropriateness and suitability for minting. The school that submitted the winning entry from each State and self-governing Territory will be awarded $5000 in prize money and up to two runner-up prizes may be also awarded to schools of $1000.
The remaining winners will be announced as follows:
- Australian Capital Territory: 1 Feb 01
- Victoria: 28 Feb 01
- Northern Territory: 15 Mar 01
- Western Australia: 29 Mar 01
- Queensland: 15 Feb 01
- Norfolk Island: 3 Mar 01
- South Australia: 22 Mar 01
- Tasmania: 31 Mar 01
JOSEPH NEVE
Joseph Neve was born in Bellingen on 25 June 1984, the fourth of eight children to Rosalie and Daniel. His family are Bellingen locals, and his maternal grandfather traces his links to New South Wales back thousands of years, to the Biripi and Worimi peoples.
Joseph has undertaken all of his schooling locally, attending St Mary's Primary School before going on to Bellingen High School.
When John Harradine, Head Teacher for Industrial Arts at Bellingen High School, became aware of the competition being run by the Royal Australian Mint, he set the coin design as a class assignment for his Year 9 and 10 Technical Drawing students. Everybody in the class was required to submit a coin design for assessment, with the three best designs sent on to the Mint for the competition.
Joseph lists his favourite subjects as technical drawing, engineering studies and woodwork. He hopes that one day they might lead him to a career in design, perhaps as an aerospace engineer.