This Five Dollar silver
proof
coin is the fourth of six that make up the 2001 Masterpieces in Silver Set, commemorating the Federation. As 2001 marked
100 years since the joining together of the individual self-governing British colonies to form the federation of Australia,
the Royal Australian Mint celebrated with a number of specially designed coin collections and series to pay tribute to the
historical event. This particular series focuses on the men and women that paid a significant contribution to the movement
to Federation and therefore helped to shape the national constitution. The reverse
of each of the coins bears up to three portraits of some of the influential people stuck onto pure silver. The high quality
finish that is achieved on these
commemorative
silver coins makes them made them a popular addition to any sized collection. This series has a limited
mintage
of just 10,000. The Centenary of Federation issues from the RAM were finished off with a special Finale Hologram Coin.
The reverse of the coin was designed by Wojciech Pietranik and along
with five of the coins from the set features the portraits of important figures involved with the movement. Sitting on top
of a stylised background are the portraits of three men each within their own individual rectangular frames. These men are
Sir Henry Parkes, Sir Samuel Griffith and Andrew Clark. On the outside of the frames are the legends CLARK and GRIFFITH written
horizontally and PARKES in the usual landscape format. At the right hand side of the coin is the denomination 5 and at the
bottom DOLLARS. The obverse of the coin features the Ian-Rank Broadley portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and surrounding
the iconic image of the monarch is the legend ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001 and the denomination 5 DOLLARS. The series was
packaged in an attractive blue outer box with a metallic silver presentation case, which housed all 6 coins. Also included
was a Certificate of Authenticity and an interesting booklet containing information pertaining to the Federation and each
of the influential men and women, to whom this set pays tribute.
Before the continent that we know today as the Commonwealth of Australia formed to become one nation, it consisted of
individual self-governing British colonies. During the mid-late 19th century the idea of a Federation to unify the colonies
was considered but it wasn't until 1900 that the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act was passed and given Royal Assent
by Queen Victoria.
(Wikipedia, 2013)
On the 1st January 1901 Sir Edmond Barton was signed in as the interim Prime Minister of Australia and collectively the
colonies became the states of the Commonwealth of Australia. The three men to whom this coin pays tribute were all important
politicians who took a progressive stand point and fought for the move to federation and played roles in writing the constitution
of Australia. Sir Samuel Griffith was the Premier of Queensland leading up to the Federation and became the Chief Justice
of the High Court of Australia. Sir Henry Parker is often referred to as the Father of the Australian Federation. He was
Premier of New South Wales and the first advocate for Federal Council. Andrew Clark fought throughout his life for fair rights
and was involved with vast numbers of movements from trade unions tosuffrage. During the move to Federation he pushed for
a fair and independent government. He was acknowledged as the leading expert on the Australian Constitution.
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