Medal - Decimal Currency RAM Mint Token

Reverse

An Image of the Royal Australian Mint building in Deakin, Canberra.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
ROYAL
AUSTRALIAN
MINT
CANBERRA

Designer: Vambola Veinberg

Edge

Plain

Comment

This medal is a collector and souvenir tourist piece struck by the Royal Australian Mint and sold in the Mint shop from 1970 to 1984 (after which the design was changed). It’s catalogued in the Carlisle reference book as R/7 and is incorrectly labelled as circa 1966. One can infer from the shape of the 50c and the lack of dollar coin it’s issue was sometime from 1969 to 1984 -this is confirmed in the information below. The medal is 54 millimeters in diameter. Whilst the design didn’t change within this time the alloy and finish did with the medal being first struck in 70% copper 30% zinc (brass) antique finish followed later by 95% copper and 5% nickel as struck and bright gilt finish and much later (1982) the alloy updated to and 86% copper and 14% zinc bronze known as tombac.

The box it was issued in changed over the years, the example above found in a small rectangular box and others in larger blue or brown boxes. All have velour lining and a material lined lid with words printed “ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MINT” on the inside and the Australian Coat of Arms on the outside lid. The below example housed in a brown vinyl flip case with green plush lining and the words “ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MINT” in small gold lettering printed on inner top lining of lid misaligned to the right. It is also seen in variations of the brown box – blue box, blue lining, blue writing.

The Chief Engraver at the Royal Australian Mint at the time (1970) and the Mint’s first Chief Engraver Vambola Veinberg designed the medal with his initials V V seen below the tree to the right of the Mint building. Interestingly Mr Veinberg designed the gold and opal ornate scissors used to cut the ribbon opening the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932.

From - The Australian Coin Review Magazine September 1970
“NEW MEDAL FROM THE AUSTRALIAN MINT
 The Royal Australian Mint has produced a handsome medal that should excite the interest of all collectors, particularly those in Australia. It shows the Mint on one side and an arrangement of all Australian decimal coins and a spray of wattle on the other.
The medal has a diameter of 2 1/8 inches, weighs 2 1/3 ounces and is finished in an antique Florentine bronze. It is packed in a plush-lined presentation box and is available at the Mint Canberra for $5.00 or by post $5.50. The initial striking will be 1000 in bronze and it is possible that a number may be struck in silver if the demand indicates a requirement.”

Price

Date	Mintage	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC
1970	1544	-	-	-	-	-	-
1971	20	-	-	-	-	-	-
1972	566	-	-	-	-	-	-
1973	88	-	-	-	-	-	-
1974	440	-	-	-	-	-	-
1975	856	-	-	-	-	-	-
1976	2205	-	-	-	-	-	-
1977	3196	-	-	-	-	-	-
1978	1000	-	-	-	-	-	-
1979	1413	-	-	-	-	-	-
1980	1000	-	-	-	-	-	-

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for Medal - Decimal Currency (RAM Mint Token) 1969-1980 item.