May 2013 Number 97 - Royal Australian Mint

$5 FINE SILVER PROOF TRIANGULAR COIN
OF AUSTRALIAN
Australia’s Parliament House was opened on 9 May 1988 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which signalled a new era
in the life of the Australian capital. Known at the time as “New Parliament House”, the building design was chosen as
part of a two-stage competition process, the winners being New York-based architectural company Mitchell-Giurgolla.
Interestingly, the building does not sit on the crest of Capital Hill, but rather rises out of the hill itself. This is meant to
symbolise the building rising out of the Australian landscape, ‘as true democracy rises from the state of things’.
In additional to being the seat of Australia’s federal government, Parliament House is also one of Canberra’s most
visited tourist attractions, so it is fitting that the Royal Australian Mint has commemorated the 25th anniversary of the
building’s opening with the release of Australia’s first ever triangular coin.
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