The Royal Australian Mint have officially launched (13th March) the first two coins in a series of Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) commemorative collectible coins, which were unveiled at a Commonwealth Day celebration at the Runaway Bay Sports Super Centre. As part of the festivities for and countdown to the Commonwealth Games, the GC2018 Queen’s Baton Relay officially launched at Buckingham Palace in London on the 13th March, embarking on an extraordinary, 230,000-kilometre (or 142,915-mile) journey through the entire Commonwealth, making its way to the games’ opening ceremony on the 4th April 2018.
The XXI Commonwealth Games will be hosted next year on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, between the 4th and 15th April. The main venue will be the Carrara Stadium, but many other venues—some already in place, others under construction—will also be utilised. A total of 70 participating nations are scheduled to compete at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in 275 events covering 18 sports. The modern Commonwealth, which is the successor to the former British Empire, is a voluntary association of 52 independent sovereign states, which provide support to each other and work together toward international goals. The Commonwealth is described as a “family” of nations, originally linked together as part of the former empire, and now building on their common heritage in language, culture, and education.
The reverse design, which is shared by both the gold and silver coin issues, features a baton-relay runner surrounded by 70 flags symbolising the Commonwealth nations against a backdrop of the iconic Gold Coast skyline. Also incorporated in the design is the official Gold Coast logo, which is featured at the centre.
The obverse of each coin includes an effigy of HM Queen Elizabeth II created by Ian Rank-Broadley and used on all circulation and many collector coins since 1999.
| Denom. | Metal | Weight | Diameter | Quality | Mintage Limit |
| $5 | .999 silver | 31.1 g | 40 mm | Proof | 2,018 |
| $25 | .9999 gold | 7.77 g | 21.69 mm | Proof | 500 |
The coins, produced to Proof quality and in very limited quantity, are available directly from the e-shop of the Royal Australian Mint. Each coin is encapsulated and presented in a custom case with certificate of authenticity. For additional information on these and other coins offered by the Royal Australian Mint, please visit their website.
Who is in the Commonwealth?
Antigua and Barbuda, Australia (host nation for the 2018 event), the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Darussalam, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom (competing as four separate nations of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales), United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, and Zambia. ❑
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