Are four heads better than one? For Melbourne coin collector Bruce Mansfield, the answer is yes, which is why he camped outside the Royal Australian Mint overnight for the honour of striking the first Australian coin featuring all four monarchs that have graced our coins in the past century.
Mr Mansfield was at the front of the line yesterday morning after 18 hours of waiting, vindicating his decision to make the trek to Canberra and spend a lonely New Year's Eve solely for the chance to win the mint's annual competition.''I've achieved something that has been planned for 212 months,'' Mr Mansfield said.
''I've been getting a bit of ribbing but I'll take it ... My wife didn't want me to do it, she reckons I'm crazy, my mum reckons I'm crazy, but that didn't worry me.''This year marks 100 years since Australia switched from the British monetary system to its own.Although Federation took place in 1901, the British silver and bronze coins remained in use until 1910, when the Australian Commonwealth silver coins were introduced. In 1911, bronze pennies and halfpennies were introduced and, in 1913, the first series of Australian notes was issued, which were based on the old British sterling system.Decimal currency was introduced on February 14, 1966, when dollars and cents replaced pounds, shillings and pence.
For more, pick up a copy of Today's Canberra Times.
Email a friend