The passing of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act empowered the Government to make laws with respect to currency, coinage and legal tender. The Coinage Act 1909 put in place the first steps for an Australian coinage. Thus began the journey towards a mint owned by the Commonwealth and independence from the branches of the Royal Mint.
The establishment of the Royal Australian Mint at its final site in Canberra followed propositions to place it near to the present National Library and on Camp Hill, between the Old Parliament House and Capital Hill. The Commonwealth Government approved the construction of the Mint in 1962 and construction commenced in 1963 on a site in the Canberra suburb of Deakin.
The Grand Opening
His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, opened the Royal Australian Mint on 22 February 1965.
The first task of the Mint was to produce new coins for the introduction of decimal currency on 14 February 1966. Since then it has produced more than fifteen billion circulating coins. It now has the capacity to produce two million coins per day.
The demand for proof and uncirculated versions of those original decimal coins has been followed by expansion of the Mint's collector coins into a high quality, innovative business. The Royal Australian Mint became the first Mint in the World to achieve accreditation to International Quality Standards ISO 9001. That emphasis on quality systems, innovative technology and research and development is continuing today.
As well as the Mint's functions to produce Australia's coinage, it produces coins for other countries, along with medals, medallions, tokens and seals for private clients, both national and international.