Summary

Australia
Fifty Cent 2005 (AD)
Mint: Royal Australian
Melbourne 2006 (M2006) Commonwealth Games Weightlifting uncirculated, packaged

Commemorative Fifty cent coin featuring the the 'Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Athletic Spirit Subgraphic for Weightlifting on the reverse. Men and women competed in 16 categories of weightlifting at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The coin is made of Cupro Nickel, was designed by Wojciech Pietranik, and was struck at the Royal Australian Mint, Canberra.

Physical Description

A dodecagonal coin, following the standard pattern for Australian fifty cent pieces Packaging: A plasticised card, coloured aqua, green and orange, the brand colours of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. The coin is held in a plastic enclosure in the right hand side of the card. It is heavily branded, and bears brief numismatic details on the back.

Obverse Description

Head of Queen Elizabeth II. Text: 'ELIZABETH II' from 7 o'clock to 11 o 'clock; 'AUSTRALIA 2006' from 1 o'clock to 5 o'clock.

Reverse Description

Central figure is a stylised line drawing of a weightlifter with weights raised above their head. Two interlocking freehand-style loops are placed in the background. Reading the text and other devices clockwise, from 8 o'clock to 3 o'clock: 'MELBOURNE 2006', surmounted by Games logo, presented horizontally ; 'XVIII COMMONWEALTH GAMES' written around the curve of the rim; '50' written horizontally, next to the rim.

Edge Description

Edge: Plain

Significance

These coins are a part of the commemoration of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. A series of over 10 coins will be issued by the Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, of which these are a part.
From 15 to 26 March, 2006, the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games will bring together over 4000 athletes from 71 Commonwealth Nations, for competition in 11 sports. A Fifty cent piece bearing the 'Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Athletic Spirit Subgraphic' for each sport will issued by the Mint, in addition to a special Aluminium/Zinc Bronze $5 coin commemorating the Queen's Baton Relay, and a Fifty cent coin bearing a design created by a sixteen year-old student, Kelly Just. The packaging for each coin features the branding for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games. The ubiquity of this branding on products and events associated with the Games is significant in and of itself, as it is an indication of the holistic approach taken to managing the representation of the games by the organising body, Melbourne 2006.
The associated web-pages from the Royal Australian Mint website (www.ramint.gov.au) add a small amount of information about the individual sports, such as the fact that both men and women are competing in the weightlifting events. Copies of these materials will be kept as supplementary information about the objects.
The designs for the sports Fifty cent coins were created by Wojciech Pietranik, and the Five dollar coin is the work of designer Peter Soobik. Pietranik also designed the medals for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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