Following one of the greatest gold rushes in history (1893), the Perth Mint was established as a colonial branch of the Royal Mint in London. Its first mission was to refine gold mined from the fields of Halls Creek and turn it into bullion bars and coins that could be used throughout Europe. By 1931, it was producing coins specifically for use in Australia. This is Australia’s oldest operating Mint. It’s original melting house began operating in 1899 and continued until 1990. Even today, it continues to provide gold melting demonstrations for visitors. Next to the Melting House is an exhibit featuring the largest coin of pure gold in the world (one ton in weight). In today’s market, it is valued at over fifty million dollars. In 1970, ownership of the Mint was transferred from Britain to the government of Western Australia and now serves as a world leader in the global coin market.
The oldest operating Mint in Australia is the Perth Mint which began refining gold in 1899.
The sculpture in the entrance courtyard depicts the 1893 gold rush that began in Halls Creek.
The exhibit room features some of the various gold types pulled out of the Halls Creek fields...
...along with the largest pure gold coin (one ton) in the world, valued at over $50,000,000.
...along with a couple of visitors whose combined weight in gold would be valued at $7,063,840.
The original Melting House began operations in 1899...
...and is still in use today, providing visitors with demonstrations of the whole process.
The prospectors of yesteryear would probably be amazed to see this Mint still operating today.
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