New Australian Coin Designs

The Royal Australian Mint has unveiled designs for 2010 $1 and 20 cent coins honouring the 150th anniversary of the Burke and Wills expedition. The coins highlight the beginning and the end of the expedition. Sculptor Wojciech Pietranik was responsible for the designs, which were revealed today at the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne. Assistant Treasurer Senator Nick Sherry who was present at the ceremony said, "It is fitting to launch these coins in Melbourne as the Burke and Wills expedition departed almost 150 years ago from a site not too far from where we stand today." Modern day explorer Jesse Martin was also in attendance. The Burke and Wills expedition sought to cross Australia and investigate the interior of the country, much of which was unknown at the time to non-indigenous European settlers.