They won’t work in poker machines or parking meters (where round coins rule) but the Royal Australian Mint has created Australia’s first triangular coin to mark the 25th birthday of Australian Parliament House.
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The commemorative, silver, triangular $5.00 coin (collectors will have to pay $85.00 for them) are being officially launched at Parliament House tomorrow as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the day of the building’s opening.
The famous triangular flag mast is the focal point of the coin's design, which depicts Australian Parliament House as viewed from one of its courtyards.
The coin is made from 99.9 per cent silver an only 10,000 of them have been minted.
It's launch tomorrow is a fitting birthday tribute to the building, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth II 25 years ago to the day.
Triangular coins are most unusual and truly triangular ones with sharp corners (the new Australian ones have rounded corners) are almost unknown, perhaps because they would chew holes in pockets and purses.
And yet in recent times the Ugandan government issued a truly triangular 2000 shillings piece to commemorate, mysteriously, the life of Pythagoras.
For those wondering whether triangular coins are the way of the future for Australian currency, a spokeswoman from the mint said while the coin is technically legal tender, it's a collector's coin not intended for general circulation.
