The Mint

During the early 1850s, the British Secretary of State gave acceptance to the colonial government to establish a mint in Sydney which was to be the first branch of the Royal Mint outside England. The Mint began operation in 1855. Now known simply as The Mint, its official title was the Royal Mint, Sydney Branch.The rear side of the mint became the coining factory.

The first five years of operation saw exports of gold fall sharply as over one million pounds worth of gold was converted into sovereign and half sovereign coins each year. In 1868 Sydney's coins were recognised as legal tender in all British colonies, but it was not until 1886 that they were accepted in Britain. The coins were identical to those produced in Britain, except for a small mint mark.

The Sydney Branch began distribution of British bronze coins in 1868, and in 1879 began distributing Imperial silver coinage. After federation, it was one of three mints to strike the new Commonwealth coins.

There were frequently major upgrades on the mint during the late 1800s and the early 1900s. However, by 1926, with the Melbourne and Perth Mints having much better technology and being more profitable, the mint was closed.

During the operation of the Mint it formed the unofficial headquarters of the Philosophical Society of New South Wales. Most senior staff at the Mint were founding members. With the blessing of the Society's president, Sir William Denison, also Governor of New South Wales, the Mint building and equipment was used for several experiments and became the heart of the scientific community in Sydney.

Experiments included the investigation of the strength and elasticity of native timbers and on the combustibility of coal from Tasmania and Bellambi. The Philosophical Society also fostered other important research into weather and seismic patterns.