Western Australian student designs Centenary of Federation 20c coin
29th March 2001
The Royal Australian Mint today announced the winner of the Western Australian section of the national Centenary of Federation coin design competition.
The winning design was prepared by Janice Ng, a student at Forrestfield Senior High School.
Janice's design will be officially launched in Perth in September. This is the first time that a set of coins has been issued specially for Western Australia by Australia's national Mint. These will initially be available in collector sets and then later in the year as circulating currency.
Background
Late last year the Royal Australian Mint conducted a nation-wide competition to find a school student from each Australian State and self-governing Territory whose Centenary of Federation design will appear on a nationally-circulated 20c coin. The competition is a key element of the Mint's Centenary of Federation Coin Program, and supports the aim of involving Australians from every corner of our country in the Centenary of Federation celebrations.
The WA design is the eighth of nine to be revealed 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 student designs are being unveiled close to the time of the official Centenary of Federation celebrations in every State and Territory. The coins will be released in both collector and circulating form during the course of the year.
A cheque for $5,000 will be presented to Forrestfield Senior High School by the Royal Australian Mint. John Curtin College of the Arts in Fremantle and Ocean Reef Senior High School in Perth will receive runner-up awards of $1,000, thanks to the efforts of students Justine Anita Bond and Gemma Stewart respectively.
Mr Graeme Moffatt, Controller of the Mint, said "This is yet another fine coin design from a young Australian, which I am sure will be well received by everyone in WA with an interest in money." He expressed special thanks to the many school principals and teachers in WA who pitched in to enable their students to submit designs. In total 95 WA schools submitted entries to the Mint, with most schools putting forward at least three designs.