14 May 2019
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Royal Australian Mint has aunched the first coins of a new limited edition commemorative coin series, featuring the mutiny on the HMS Bounty, The Rum Rebellion and The Eureka Stockade.
The coins feature key moments in Australia's colonial history, starting with the story of the HMS Bounty’s Captain William Bligh; with a second coin featuring The Rum Rebellion and the final coin showing The Eureka Stockade.
The Mutiny on the Bounty:
On the fateful day in 1789 when a group of angry sailors mutinied aboard HMS Bounty, they could not have known that their actions would be a well-known moment in Australian colonial history.
The Rum Rebellion:
In a dramatic clash between elite military and government, the ‘Rum Rebellion’ of 1808 was Australia’s only successful military coup – and also paved the way for the rule of law in Australia. The overthrowing of Governor William Bligh by the New South Wales Corps is commemorated by the Royal Australian Mint on this coin, marking the rebellion that changed Australia’s colonial history.
The Eureka Stockade:
The Royal Australian Mint has released this coin to commemorate the dramatic Eureka uprising of miners at Ballarat, Victoria, in 1854. This clash between struggling miners and government led to the defeat of the miners, but also brought their plight to the attention of the people and led to more egalitarian representation of the people in Australia’s government.
Mark Cartwright of the Royal Australian Mint said of the series: “This unique and artistically detailed coin series acknowledges historical events and people from Australia’s tempestuous colonial era, a time that resulted in mutiny and rebellion but contributed to eventual egalitarian democracy and rule of law in our nation.”
Find out more
The Mutiny On The Bounty coins are available for purchase from 6 May 2019, the Rum Rebellion coins are available for purchase from 3 June 2019 and the Eureka Stockade coins are available for purchase from 5 August 2019, as well as Mutiny and Rebellion – 3 Coin Collection Case, which is available for purchase from 6 May 2019. The coins are Australian legal tender and can be purchased from the Mint’s website.
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(images copyright Royal Australian Mint)
