Australia 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games Sports Collection Series -Gymnastics 50c
Gymnastics at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006 consisted of 2 disciplines, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics. Competitors need skill, balance, flexibility and concentration being judged in individual and team competitions. Canada dominated the events taking home 12 gold medals. Australia took home 6 of each gold silver and bronze medals.
To celebrate the sporting events held during the Melbourne Commonwealth Games a series of 16 50c coins were released by the Royal Australian Mint as well as a student designed 50c, a one dollar, $5 and $10 coins. The Mint was one of the sponsors of the Games and also designed and produced the winning gold, silver and bronze medals.
The first release in this 50 cent coin series included Basketball, Hockey, Shooting and Weightlifting coins. The second release included Cycling, Badminton, Rugby 7's and this release, the Gymnastics coin. It was minted as a collector coin and not released into circulation. It was issued in a capsule in an informative card by itself and for inclusion in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games Sports Collection series. The individual 50c coins in the series were sold for issue price of $4.95.
The coin design is by RAM designer Wojciech Pietranik and depicts Gymnastics in action and the Melbourne 2006 logo. The obverse is the standard effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, who officially opened the Games, by Ian Rank-Broadley. It is the standard dodecagonal shape 31.51mm in size and weighs 15.55g. It is made from cupro nickel which is 75% copper and 25% nickel. The card also features a sticker of 'Karak', a red-tailed black cockatoo and Games mascot indicating it is an official licensed product.
25,574 of these uncirculated coins were issued to collectors which includes 15,500 issued for inclusion in the complete collection folder. This is the second highest mintage of the 16 sporting coins indicating the popularity of the sport.
The complete collection folder included the 16 sporting 50c, the student design 50c and the Queen's Baton Relay $5 coin. Initially these folders were sold (May 2005) as a starter pack which included the first 4 sporting 50c coins and the rest of the sporting 50c were sent out to collectors as they were released later in the year. This Gymnastics coin was in the second release in July 2005.
Posted by harrisk at December 1, 2010 10:36 AM
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