To commemorate the 150th running of the Melbourne Cup.
This annual Australian event is now referred to as ‘the race that stops a nation.
As a joint exercise between the Royal Australian Mint and the Victorian Racing Club these coins were released in unlimited quantities as part of the celebrations.
The race itself has not only become one of the largest single annual sporting events in Australia but also one of the world’s most prestigious horse races.
On the 2nd Tuesday of November at 3pm nearly the entire nation stops to watch the running of, "the Cup", at Flemington Racecourse. The race itself attracts over 700 million viewers worldwide annually.
A nice piece of Australian history at an affordable price.
Design
Weight 15.55g
Diameter 31.51mm
Cupro nickel composition: 75% copper, 25% nickel.
Shape: Dodecagonal
Obverse:HM Queen Elizabeth II byIan Rank-Broadley
Reverse: horses and riders crossing the finish line designed by Wojciech Pietranik from the Royal Australian mint.
History
The Melbourne Cup is Australia’s major thoroughbred horse race. Billed as the race that stops a nation, it is a race for three-year-olds and over, over a distance of 3,200 metres. It is the richest and most prestigious “two-mile” handicap in the world and one of the richest turf races in the world. The event is held at around ten to 3 pm on the first Tuesday in November by the Victoria Racing Club, on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne.The race has been held since 1861 and was originally held over two miles (about 3,218 metres) but following preparation for Australia’s adoption of the metric system in the 1970s, the current race distance of 3,200 metres was established in 1972. This reduced the distance by 18.688 metres (61.31ft), and Rain Lover’s1968 race record of 3min.19.1sec was accordingly adjusted to 3min.17.9 sec. The present record holder is the 1990 winner Kingston Rule with a time of 3min 16.3sec. The world record of 3:13.4 over 3,200 metres is held by Japanese horse Deep Impact.
*All historical information taken from Wikipedia for educational purposes only.
