Australia

• Originally a branch of the British Royal Mint, the Perth Mint went under Australian ownership in 1970 and is a member of the LBMA. The mint takes great delight in reproducing the wonders of "Down Under". The kangaroo gold or silver coins and the koala bear silver coins are prime examples. The kangaroo gold coin was so successful a "one ton" gold version of it was minted in celebration.

• In 1851 Australia's population was 437,655 and by 1861 it had rose to 1,151,947. The Victorian goldfields may have been exhausted but enough financial resources were left to explore possible sites. This exploration discovered Australia had a wealth of resources and minerals, let alone gold. Today most mines are situated in remote areas where workers will usually stay at the facility for the week and fly home for the weekend.