The Royal Australian Mint launched 2009 by celebrating sixty years of the enactment of the Australian Citizenship Act 1948 with the release of a proof silver dollar and an uncirculated $1 coin.
These coins uniquely bear a "C" mintmark, denoting they were minted in Canberra. And according to the Mint, no other coins in 2009 will include the mark.
The following statements were released explaining the importance of the coin and its design:
The new design for 2009 will celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Australian Citizenship. Sixty years ago in 1948 the Australian Citizenship Act was brought into affect. To date more than four million people have taken part in the affirmation ceremony. Citizenship gives a sense of belonging, a chance to make a commitment to Australia and its values and to share the role of building Australia and its future.
"I am proud to be unveiling our newest coin design which celebrates our unity as a country. By unveiling this new coin design each Australian has the opportunity to hold a piece of history in their own hands," said Deputy Chief Executive Officer Graham Smith.
The 2009 $1 Citizenship coin design features the smiling faces of the very first Australian citizens in 1949, each as individual as the country they originate from. Their raised hands symbolises their pride in becoming an Australian citizen, now linked symbolically to create the star of Federation.
Coin Prices and order details
The 99.9% fine silver dollar has an international price of AUD $40.91 and is limited to 12,500 coins. An unlimited mintage is set for the uncirculated $1 Al/Bronze coin with an international price tag of AUD $2.73. (See currency converter.)
The coins are available through the Royal Australian Mint online store.
About the Royal Australian Mint
His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh, officially opened the Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, on Monday 22nd February 1965. The Mint was commissioned to produce Australia’s decimal coinage, which was to be introduced into circulation on 14th February 1966. The Royal Australian Mint holds a place in history as the first mint in Australia not to be a branch of the Royal Mint, London.
Since opening in 1965 the Mint has produced over eleven billion circulating coins and has the capacity to produce over two million coins per day, or over six hundred million coins per year.
The Royal Australian Mint has struck coins for a number of South Pacific nations. Export coins were first struck in 1969 for New Zealand and, since then, coins have been produced for Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Western Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh, Israel and Tokelau.
