New Centenary of Federation 20c coin released

A new 20c coin designed by an ACT student for our Centenary of Federation was unveiled by Senator Margaret Reid, Senator for the ACT, at the Royal Australian Mint today.

Caroline Chisholm High School student designer, Stacy Jo-Ann Paine, was in year 7 when she designed the coin in 2000. Answering the question 'What is special about your State or Territory?' Stacy submitted a sophisticated computer-generated sketch of her design, which remains essentially unaltered apart from the addition of Stacy's initials. Today, she struck her own coin during the official launch inside the secured production areas of our national Mint, to which ACT Chief Minister Gary Humphries was also invited as a guest speaker.

This 20c design is the result of a nation-wide Centenary of Federation Coin Design Competition open to all Australian schools. A design by a student from every State and self-governing Territory will eventually feature on a collector and circulating 20c coin, the latter released in the second half of the year.

"Coin designs have for thousands of years reflected what has been important to the communities which used them. The new 20c coin is no different, featuring symbols which are important to us during our Centenary of Federation."

- Senator Margaret Reid

"I'm really glad I won the competition, and that for centuries to come there will be a coin with my initials on it. Having your own coin is an honour only a handful of people have had so far, so this is something I'm definitely going to tell my grandkids about."

- Stacy Jo-Ann Paine, student designer of 20c coin

In the ACT 34 schools entered the coin design competition, with most schools submitting at least three designs. The selection process occurred at a school level, after which a Mint panel (which included the General Manager of the National Council for the Centenary of Federation) chose designs for submission to State and Territory Centenary of Federation Committees. Final winning designs were selected by a panel of Federal Ministers: Minister for Financial Services & Regulation, The Hon. Joe Hockey MP; Minister for Arts and the Centenary of Federation, The Hon. Peter McGuaran MP; and Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, The Hon. Dr David Kemp MP.

Stacy's 20c coin will now appear in a Three Coin Set which also includes a new 50c coin bearing the ACT Coat of Arms, and a $1 coin featuring the Centenary of Federation logo. These coins are also available in a collection which contains every State/Territory's 20c student-designed coins and every State/Territory's 50c Coat of Arms coins. All coin sets are available from the Royal Australian Mint on 1300 652 020 or www.ramint.gov.au , coin dealers and selected Australia Post outlets.

For any assistance please contact the Mint directly on 02 6202 6824