The Assistant Treasurer, Senator Nick Sherry, has today announced that Australia will host the XXVI International Mint Directors Conference in Canberra in 2010.
The Rudd Government has approved the Royal Australian Mint to go ahead with the event from 26 September to 3 October 2010, coinciding with Floriade in the national capital.
The conference is expected to attract about 300 participants and 100 partners from mints around the world, related industries, research organisations and coin communities.
There will be other beneficial tourism spin-offs, with many of the delegates attending a post-conference tour in Cairns.
"The Mint Directors Conference is one of the most prestigious events in the world of coins and minting," the Assistant Treasurer said.
"It will showcase the newly refurbished Mint in Canberra and its upgraded production processes - valuable assets for our national Mint as it seeks to secure lucrative international orders."
"When Canberra last hosted the event in 2000, the Royal Australian Mint won six overseas orders."
"The Royal Australian Mint was admitted to the Mint Directors Conference in 1984 and throughout the past 25 years has shown strong leadership and cooperation in the minting industry."
"This international conference will add further to Australia's reputation as a world class producer of coins for general circulation and for commemorative occasions."
"It will also help the goals of promoting worldwide interest in collecting coins and enhancing business relations with the international coin-dealer community."
"The events will enhance the reputation of Canberra and Cairns as attractive tourist and conference destinations."
The Canberra 2010 event has now also launched a new website at www.mdc2010.com.
The Mint Directors Conference is held every two years to exchange the latest in numismatic technical and marketing information. The last conference was held in South Korea in 2008.
Registration for the Canberra Conference opens on 1 December 2009.