Summary

Australia
Fifty Cent 2005 (AD)
Mint: Royal Australian

Melbourne 2006 (M2006) Commonwealth Games Secondary School Student Coin Design Competition, proof coin. Packaged in coin capsule, in case, with box,and certificate of authenticity 03655.

Commemorative 50 cent coin is based on a design by 16 year-old Kelly Just. Just was the winning entrant in a competition, for a secondary student to have their design featured on a commemorative coin issued for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.The competition received 'hundreds' of entries and 'over 20,000' votes were received in the process of selecting the winner. The design features "animals mimicking athletes performing a variety of activities that will feature in the up coming Commonwealth Games" (source: Royal Australian Mint website - see 'references' section for details).

Physical Description

A dodecagonal coin, following the standard pattern for Australian fifty cent pieces. The coin is held in a plastic coin capsule, within an aqua case with the M2006 logo in white. This is packaged inside a box, coloured aqua, green and orange, the brand colours of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

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

A series of pairs of animals and athletes are arranged around the rim of the coin. Clockwise from 12 o'clock: Frog =High jumper Kangaroo = Long jumper Platypus = Swimmer Brolga = Rhythmic Gymnastics Emu (uncertain about this identification)= Runner The centre of the coin bears the figure '50' inside a raised circle. The circle bears text: from 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock 'MELBOURNE 2006', from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock, 'XVIII COMMONWEALTH GAMES'.

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games was one of the most significant public events to have ever been held in the city. Eleven days of sporting and cultural celebrations saw thousands of people include elite athletes from around the world visit Melbourne, and a television audience of over one billion people around the world watching the Games.

This proposal recommends that Museum Victoria acquire a representative sample of props and costumes from the Opening Ceremony, many of which were displayed in the 'Spirit of the Games' exhibition in the Touring Hall of Melbourne Museum. These objects cover the various segments that composed the Ceremony, including the events on the Yarra River. The Flying Tram was the centrepiece of the Opening Ceremony of the Games, and is an integral part of the proposed Games Collection.

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