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V14 2011 INDEX       E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 14, Number 45, October 30, 2011, Article 15

AUSTRALIA TOPS CANADA WITH WORLD'S LARGEST GOLD COIN

A number of E-Sylum readers including Alan Luedeking, Adrián González Salians, and Philip Mernick pointed out stories about the new heavyweight contender for the title of "World's Largest Gold Coin." It's a publicity stunt, of course, but still an impressive achievement. Here's one of the stories from BBC News. -Editor

World's Largest Gold Coin red Kangaroo Australia has unveiled the world's largest gold coin, weighing in at a massive 1,000kg.

The Perth Mint produced it in time for Queen Elizabeth's visit to the city in Western Australia for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting.

The coin has a kangaroo on one side and the Queen's profile on the other. It is nearly 80cm in diameter and 12cm thick.

Perth Mint CEO Ed Harbuz said making it was "an incredible challenge, one which few other mints would even consider".

The Australian coin is five times heavier than the world's previous largest gold coin, made by the Royal Canadian Mint.

"We thought well, we'd better make it so much bigger that it'll stay the biggest coin in the world for a long time," Mr Harbuz said.

Australia's coin is 99.99% pure and has a nominal value of A$1,000,000 ($1,061,000; £663,000). The gold itself is worth more than A$50m.

To read the complete article, see: Australia unveils world's largest gold coin in Perth (www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15477426)

Coin Update had a link to a YouTube video showing the making of the coin. The effort involved is impressive. It's well worth watching. It has the feel of a "Honey, I Shrunk the Mint Employees" movie. Here are a couple images that give an idea of the size and heft of this monstrosity. -Editor

Making Largest Gold Coin Making Largest Gold Coin

To view a YouTube video about the making of the coin, see: Perth Mint Makes World's Largest Gold Coin (www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1KoF8Ik24Y)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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