Melbourne Mint
The former Royal Mint is and is of architectural significance as one of the finest 19th century government buildings in Australia, in a restrained Renaissance revival style. It was designed by Public Works Department architect J.J Clark, best known for the equally significant Old Treasury Building, Melbourne. The facade design has been said to be based on Renaissance Palazzi, such as the paired piaster arrangement of the Palazzo Vidoni-Caffarelli, Rome (1515) attributed to Raphael, or the paired Ionic columns of the Palazzo Corner della Ca' Grande, Venice, by Sansovino (1545).
The colourful coat of arms placed on the front gates in mid-twentieth century were by the Melbourne woodcarver Walter Langcake. The original design, based on Queen Victoria's coat of arms, is adapted especially for a British Royal Mint branch office in colonial Victoria. The supporting animals are not crowned and a maned horse replaces the usual unicorn.
From 2007 the former Mint became the home for the Hellenic Museum, showcasing Greek art, history and culture.
From October 2012 private company, Melbourne Mint Pty Ltd, was situated on the ground level and level one of the Melbourne Mint building. Melbourne Mint Pty Ltd belongs to a group of Australian precious metals companies which include Australian Bullion Company (ABC), Gold Merchants International (GMI) and Melbourne Mint Coins. It has no historical relationship to the original Royal Mint.
See also
External links
- Photo: Melbourne Mint, from the State Library of Victoria
- Brief history and photographs of the Melbourne Mint, from the Australian Architecture Discussion Forum.
- Melbourne Mint - Online Coin Club, list of all coins struck by the Melbourne Mint.
References
- ^ "THE MELBOURNE MINT". The Argus. Melbourne. 4 October 1880. p. 6. Retrieved 8 February 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Former Royal Mint". Victorian Heritage Database. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ Cummings, Eddie J (2007). Renniks Australian Coin and Banknote Values. Banksmeadow: Renniks Publications. ISBN 978-09752245-5-7.
- ^ School of Historical Studies, Department of History. "Royal Mint - Entry - eMelbourne - The Encyclopedia of Melbourne Online". www.emelbourne.net.au. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "Former Royal Mint Site". Working Heritage. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "JJ Clark : architect of the Australian Renaissance / Andrew Dodd - Catalogue | National Library of Australia". catalogue.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ "About Us". Hellenic Museum. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
37°48′44″S 144°57′24″E / 37.812153°S 144.956794°E