Perth Mint
Photo Source: Perth Mint website.
Photo Source: Perth Mint Website.
The Perth Mint is a maker of bullion in Australia.
The story behind the Perth Mint begins in 1899, when the British Royal Mint opened a branch in Perth. This was opened in an effort to save time and money on shipping coins from Britain to Australia. There were several other branches opened in other regions around this time. The Perth branch’s focus was to refine gold which had been found in the mines of Western Australia. Miners from Western Australia brought raw gold to the mint where it was refined and minted.
The mint remained under the control of the British up until 1970 when it was handed over to the Western Australian Government. This was excellent timing as only a few years later there would be a gold boom which would see prices, and interest in precious metals, soar.
Although widely known as the “Perth Mint”, the company name is “Gold Corporation” which was formalized in 1987 by a State Act of Parliament. The Perth Mint were the first in Australia to launch bullion programs. Some of these programs include the Australian Nugget of gold bullion coins and the Australian Lunar Series of gold and silver bullion coins. The Australian Nugget series of gold bullion coins was officially launched by then Australian Prime Minster, Bob Hawke.
The Perth Mint exports approximately 80% of their products, making them one of the largest exporters in Western Australia.
Refining was completed on site in the main Hay Street building up until 1990, which is when the modern refining facility in Newburn was opened and the refining processes were moved across. In 2003 the Perth Mint opened a new manufacturing centre next door to the original mint building.
Regular tours of the mint are open to the public.
Address: 310 Hay Street, East Perth, Western Australia, 6004, Australia.
Bullion by the Perth Mint includes:
