Perth Mint & Royal Australian Mint - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 8 / Views: 10,412
tornandfrayed75 Valued Member United States 447 Posts	Posted 01/02/2013 10:03 pm I mainly collect US and Canadian coins with a little bit of the rest of the world mixed in. I think I want to start in on coins from Australia. My questions are: What is the difference between the Royal Australian Mint and the Perth Mint? Are they both "official" mints of Australia or is one official and one private? Are there different branches/mint marks like in the USA? Are there any other mints in Australia? Report this Post to the Staff

FNQ Pillar of the Community Australia 507 Posts	Posted 01/02/2013 10:56 pm The Royal Australian Mint is the Federal Mint and produces coins for circulation as well as NCLT. The Perth Mint (aka Gold Corporation) is a State Mint (owned by the WA government) that at one time produced coins for circulation, but now is operated as a business with a Federal agreement to produce NCLT. Report this Post to the Staff
CoinManTim Valued Member Australia 318 Posts	Posted 01/03/2013 12:02 am In my view. Royal Aus Mint = Real Mint Perth Mint = Overpriced bullion coins (& bullion). Avoid Perth Mint. Report this Post to the Staff
Mr T Pillar of the Community Australia 2180 Posts	Posted 01/03/2013 05:29 am Quote: Are there different branches/mint marks like in the USA? Are there any other mints in Australia? I think these days all Perth coins have a P mintmark but that wasn't always the case. Previously the mintmark was usually a dot before or after a letter (though it was less obvious on occasion). Perth sovereigns and half sovereigns had a P though (1899 to 1931). RAM circulation coins don't have mintmarks and don't really need them as they're usually the only mint responsible for circulating coins in Australia. I don't know of any other mints in Australia but RAM and Perth seem to be the only ones of note. There are no other Australian mints that make money for Australia anyway. Report this Post to the Staff
The Unicorn Pillar of the Community Australia 750 Posts	Posted 01/03/2013 05:56 am I was of the understanding that there was also another smaller privately owned mint. It too located in Western Australia. From memory it was north of Perth, at Troutshed just outside Geraldton. Coins minted here usually have the mintmark P M D on them. A public display of most mintages can be seen by riding the bucket elevator to the bottom of the well located near the mint. Legend has it that our beloved 1927 Parliament House florin often makes pilgrimage to this site. As the journey is quite some distance only those florins who retain their steps and are young and fresh attempt it. One source suggested that perhaps a 1927 Ark was being built on site as the florins often came in 2 x 2. Note to tornandfrayed75: My apologies, the posts above are correct, mine could probably be ignored. Really hope you enjoy collecting Aussie coins! We have some beauts! Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16826 Posts	Posted 01/03/2013 06:39 am Back in predecimal days (pre-1966), Australia had three mints: Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. All three were branches of The Royal Mint in London, but the only coins they struck were Australian coins, and "Imperial" gold sovereigns and half-sovereigns. The Sydney Mint closed once gold coin production ceased, back in the 1920s. When the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra opened up to strike decimal coins, Melbourne was gradually shut down, leaving just the RAM in Canberra and The Royal Mint branch in Perth, which continued to strike 2 cent coins. Britain sold the Perth Mint to the Western Australian government in 1970, and the mint was corporatized in 1987 under GoldCorp with a mandate to strike NCLT bullion coinage. No Perth Mint coins have been struck for circulation since the switch to bullion products. Today, the RAM strikes circulation coins, while Perth Mint strikes the bulk bullion coins. Both mints strike NCLT coins for collectors, and are indeed competitors with each other for the collector market. For some historic events, Perth Mint and the RAM have struck rival commemorative coins.While you cannot usually buy Perth Mint products from the RAM gift shop nor vice versa, you can buy products from both mints at post offices. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis Report this Post to the Staff
ozcoins Pillar of the Community Australia 1005 Posts	Posted 01/03/2013 06:47 am Very funny the unicorn!! Report this Post to the Staff
Nevol Formerly nancyc Australia 5385 Posts	Posted 01/03/2013 5:39 pm Quote: From memory it was north of Perth, at Troutshed just outside Geraldton. Too Funny! life is a mystery to be lived not a problem to be solved Report this Post to the Staff
robster Pillar of the Community Australia 674 Posts	Posted 01/03/2013 5:43 pm Unicorn- Not fair to have the smartest post for the whole year when it is only the first week of January.!!. Report this Post to the Staff
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