Australia 1982 $200 Commonwealth Games Coin – Proof
Commemorating the Brisbane Commonwealth Games in 1982 a gold $200 coin was struck by the Royal Australian Mint. The XII Commonwealth Games logo can be seen on the commemorative 50c coin released into circulation. The 200 dollar gold issue features this logo and an athlete on the reverse with “XII Commonwealth Games Brisbane 200 Dollars” in the legends. The obverse features the Arnold Machin portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
A series of gold $200 coins were released with the Koala reverse and yearly issues commemorating special occasions and events such as Charles and Diana’s Wedding, the First Fleet and Australian native fauna.
This Commonwealth Games issue was struck in uncirculated and proof finish and is Australian legal tender for two hundred dollars. They are 24mm in diameter and have full edge reeding. Each weigh 10 grams of 91.67% gold and 8.33% copper which is 22 carat equating to 0.2948 ounces of gold. The value of this coin is reflected in the trade of gold bullion, so if you have one of these coins check out the Australian Gold Coin Calculator to find out what it is worth today.
There were 77,206 uncirculated coins released at $210 and 30,032 proof coins released at $350. These issues continue to trend with gold bullion pricing.
If you are looking to pick one of these up I’d recommend paying the premium for the proof coin. Apart from the obvious higher quality coin, the proofs were issued in a capsule in a box in an outer cardboard box with a certificate of authenticity. The uncirculated versions were simply slid into a soft pvc sleeve which could lead to pvc damage, fingerprints and environmental problems. The pvc tends not to damage the coin surface because of the gold composition but over time will leave an icky sticky residue on the coin.
