Australian Proof Coin Sets

Each year the Royal Australian Mint produces a proof coin set with each of the denominations we use.

Proof coins are the masterpieces of the mints craftsmanship. Clean, good quality steel is used to make proof dies. The die impression is grit-blasted with very fine zirconium sand to give the surface a frosted finish - the common term for this is sand-blasting. The surrounding background is then highly polished.

Hand polishing of the sections of the die face is performed under a microscope and takes two to three hours. To achieve a mirror-like finish, different grades of diamond lapping paste are applied to the surface and polished with wooden sticks (usually soft birch wood). This is followed by polishing with a soft felt pad attached to a dental drill.