To celebrate Australia taking out the 2013 Commonwealth Bank Ashes Test Series the Royal Australian Mint has released a 20 cent official commemorative coin.
“Cricket is a national pastime for many Australians, and undeniably linked with our country’s heritage and culture,” Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer the Hon Steve Ciobo MP commented.
Royal Australian Mint CEO Ross MacDiarmid explained that the coin theme celebrates Australia’s longest sporting rivalry, one that began in 1882 after the British newspaper The Sporting Times published a satirical obituary stating that English cricket had died, its body had been cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.
“Depicting this epic shared sporting heritage is part of our role to commemorate important Australian themes for future generations, and this coin will provide Australians with the opportunity to take home a piece of this history,” Mr MacDiarmid commented.
“Hopefully, the release of this coin will continue to be a good luck talisman for the Australian side, with households across the country clutching their Ashes coins as we push for a series whitewash,” said Mr Ciobo.