The Minister for Financial Services & Regulation, Joe Hockey, today unveiled in Sydney the first of a series of collector coins designed by Australian school students.
Joseph Neve, a year 11 student from Bellingen High School on the NSW north coast, designed the obverse of the circulating 20c as part of a national series of competitions. Joseph's design features a hand-drawn Waratah - the NSW floral emblem - against a silhouetted map of NSW.
"Coinage is crucial in reflecting the mood of a nation and reminding it, each and every day, of who it is and where it has been," the Minister said.
"So it will be Joseph's designed 20c piece which Australians will use now and in the future - when putting coins into a parking meter, picking up a newspaper or buying a loaf of bread.
"There is no event more worthy of commemoration than our nation's 100th birthday. That is what we want future generations to remember about us as we go about our business in 2001."
During 2000, the Royal Australian Mint ran competitions across the country for students to produce coin designs for their state or territory. The coins designed by Joseph and his counterparts form part of the Centenary of Federation 20 coin set.
The set includes a $1 coin featuring the Centenary of Federation logo, 50c coins which feature the coat of arms of each of the States and territories, and the 20c coins designed by Australian school students. The coins will also be available in three coin state sets. All of the coins will be available in both proof and uncirculated sets.
Coin sets are available from the Royal Australian Mint on 1300 652 020, coin dealers and later, in February, from Australia Post.