22/02/2008
In a first for the Royal Australian Mint, a coin 400 times larger than a standard one dollar coin was used to unveil the 2008 circulating coin, commemorating the Centenary of Scouts Australia.
The biggest coin ever produced by the Mint was gradually revealed by ten young people representing the various scouting groups from Joey Scouts to Rovers.
The Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law, Senator Nick Sherry was joined by Sir William Deane AC KBE, National President of Scouts Australia and John Ravenhall AM, Chief Commissioner of Scouts Australia in officially launching the new coin design.
The Royal Australian Mint has been producing Australia's decimal coinage since 1966, with standard circulating coin designs including the echidna, the lyrebird, the platypus, the Coat of Arms, the kangaroo and the Aboriginal elder.
Over the past 42 years, only 14 special designs have been produced to commemorate an organisation or an event on the one dollar coin. Today, the Mint was proud to add Scouts Australia to this select few.
The Scouts commemorative one dollar coin will be entered into circulation along with the standard one dollar five kangaroo coin design. Both coins are the same shape, size and metal composition, with the only difference being the reverse design.
Australians can expect to start seeing this coin in their change from April 2008.
In light of the significant anniversary we have produced a number of collector coins to commemorate Scouts Australia. We anticipate that these coins will be very popular with our customers and a priceless keep-sake for the international Scouts community.
The collector coins in the Scouts Australia range include: a $10 Gold Proof Coin; a $5 Fine Silver Proof Coin; and a 50c Uncirculated Coin, which were released on February 4 2008.
For more information, or for images of the 2008 Centenary of Scouts Australia coin series, please visit www.ramint.gov.au or call 1300 652 020.
