This twenty cent piece was released by the Royal Australian Mint
in 2001 as part of their extensive program celebrating the Centenary of Federation. This piece commemorates the inclusion
of Western Australia in the Australian federation. The reverse was designed
by student, Janice NG, from Forrestfield Senior High School in Western Australia. It features an outline of the state in
Western Australia and overlaying this is the rabbit-eared bandicoot also known as the Bilby. The
legend
Centenary of Federation curves around the bottom and the denomination 20 CENTS overlays the map. The
obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II with the
legend
ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2001.
Initials of designer Janice NG (JN) on the 2001 Proof (Western Australia) Twenty Cent.
The coin was included in two sets issued throughout the year - the Western Australian three coin set, and the twenty coin
Centenary of Federation Collection. Each set was issued in both proof and uncirculated varieties.
In 1890 Western Australia was granted with a constitution by the British Parliament. It was the final Australian colony
to gain responsible government.
(State Library of Western Australia, 2017)
At the time the colony had a population of less than 50,000 colonists and was connected to larger Australian colonies
by one telegraph line. The distant convict colony exploded with immigration following the discovery of gold in 1892. At the
beginning of the twentieth century the colony had grown to a population of nearly 200,000. In July 1900 Western Australia
voted if it would join the Federation. The colony had lagged behind the Eastern Australian states causing it to be committed
from the preamble of the Australian Constitution which had already been proclaimed by Queen Victoria.
(State Library of Western Australia, 2017)
The Western Australian vote quickly fell in favour of joining the federation and when the commonwealth was officially
created six months later Western Australia was a member.
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