2010 Fred Hollows $1To follow on from the Mary MacKillop one dollar (2008) and the Steve Irwin one dollar (2009) the Inspirational Australians dollar coin series in 2010 depicts Fred Hollows on an Australian one dollar NCLT collector coin. This series of coins recognises and celebrates individual achievements and commemorates unique Australians who have made an extraordinary contribution to our society.
Released by the Royal Australian Mint the reverse of this coin was designed by Vladimir Gottwald and was inspired by a portrait of Professor Fred Hollows by photographer George Fetting. The design depicts Hollows holding up an intraocular lens used on an Eritrean cataract patient. Fred, a skilled opthalmologist, was the inspiration for the Fred Hollows Foundation which has restored the sight of more than a million people around the world by implanting intraocular lenses into the eyes of cataract patients. His life's work (1929-1993) is continued by the Fred Hollows Foundation restoring sight and good health in those less fortunate countries. Through Fred's vision, the Fred Hollows Foundation helped establish factories in Nepal and Eritrea to produce these special intraocular lenses at cheaper cost. It operates in over 20 countries restoring sight to cataract patients for whom such surgery would normally be out of financial reach.
This encapsulated and uncirculated 25mm, 9 gram aluminium bronze one dollar was released at $12.95 issue price in a special informative card explaining the life and work of Professor Fred Hollows. His wife Gabi Hollows said "Fred would probably tell everyone to buy the coin, but then donate it to The Foundation". Fred was extremely passionate about his cause.
The obverse of this NCLT dollar is the standard effigy of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley. The mintage of this coin can be found in the 2010 mintage table.
Posted by harrisk at July 9, 2010 8:29 PM
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