ANZAC Spirit Honoured In Joint Coin Issue

ANZAC Spirit Honoured In Joint Coin Issue

New Zealand Post and Australia's The Perth Mint pay tribute to the ANZAC spirit in their launch today of a highly unusual collaborative coin programme.

The programme presents legal tender coins of both nations commemorating the 90th anniversary of the first major military action fought by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during World War One at Gallipoli.

"Few subjects generate as much pride amongst New Zealanders and Australians as the contribution our armed forces made at Gallipoli in 1915," said New Zealand Post Stamps General Manager Ivor Masters.

"The unique ANZAC spirit continues to resonate through both cultures to the present day, and it is an honour for New Zealand Post to celebrate this spirit in a joint coin programme with The Perth Mint."

The coins were inspected and approved by the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association, and the Returned and Services' League of Australia.

"On behalf of the RSA, I commend New Zealand Post and The Perth Mint for this dignified and sensitive tribute to the ANZAC spirit," said RNZRSA National President John Campbell.

"Our hope is that these coins will serve to remind all of us of a time that has passed but a friendship that continues as strong as ever."

The limited programme consists of three coin sets, struck from gold, silver or aluminium bronze. Each set contains one Australian legal tender coin, issued under the Australian Currency Act 1965, and one New Zealand legal tender coin, issued under the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989. The images on each of the three coin sets represent three themes central to the ANZAC spirit: remembrance, camaraderie and courage.

Each limited edition coin in the 90th Anniversary of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps 1915 - 2005 program bears the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, its country of issue and its monetary denomination on the obverse.

The Army Museum of Western Australia, the Auckland War Memorial Museum, the Australian Government's Department of Veterans' Affairs, and the Australian War Memorial all provided invaluable support in the production of the coin programme.

The 90th Anniversary of the Australian and Zealand Army Corps 1915 - 2005 coin sets will be available from Monday 7 March 2005 via the web at http://www.nzcoins.co.nz. Orders may also be placed by e-mail at collectables@nzpost.co.nz, or telephone on +64 6 349 1234. Further information on the individual coins may be found in the background notes attached.

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