PARA: Discarded coins to be used to make games medals

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2000
PARA: Discarded coins to be used to make games medals

By Krystyna Rudzki, Olympics Correspondent

SYDNEY, April 6 AAP - Little pieces of Australia - obsolete one and two cent coins
- will be recycled to make the bronze medals to be presented at this year's Paralympic
Games.

The coins, taken out of circulation in 1994, will have one per cent silver content
added when they are melted down by the Royal Australian mint and Royal Perth Mint to make
the 220 gram bronze medals.

Ophir gold project and BHP are supplying the metal for the 561 gold and silver medals,
while Woolmark will provide 2,800 metres of blue and green embroidered ribbon.

The man who designed much of Australia's coin currency, including the one and two cent
coins, Stuart Devlin, is also responsible for the Paralympic Games medals.

The front of the medal features Sydney landmarks the Opera House and Harbour Bridge
on one side, with the logos of the International Paralympic Committee and the Sydney Paralympic
Organising Committee (SPOC) on the reverse.

In a ring around the front, seven Paralympic venues are depicted including Stadium
Australia, the International Aquatic Centre, the SuperDome and the tennis centre.

The medals measure 70mm in diameter and 5mm thick, making them slightly bigger and
heavier than the Olympic medals.

It's the first time braille has not featured on Paralympic medals, but the design was
approved because of the considerable tactile interest.

Devlin, jeweller to Queen Elizabeth II and designer of coins for 36 countries, said
he took the job because he had never designed medals for sport.

"I wanted to create a medal that would instantly say Sydney and give it the grandeur
and prestige that the Paralympic Games are now attracting," he said.

Devlin also has an Olympic connection - he received a bronze medal for taking part
in the 1956 Melbourne torch relay, around 4am outside Wangaratta.

SPOC has also dispensed with velvet cushions to carry the medals to the presentation podium.

The Gavala Aboriginal Art and Cultural Education Centre will hand make 300 painted
wooden trays for the medals, called coolomons.

The symbols tell the story of people visiting a ceremonial site for a special occasion,
while the background colours represent the landscape.

The trays will be given to the national paralympic committees as gifts at the end of
the October 18-29 Games.

Athletes will also be presented with a native flower bouquet, including kangaroo paw,
banksia, paper daisies, emu bush and grevillea.

The Australian Native Flower Growers and Promoters will supply around 2,500 bouquets
for the Paralympics.

AAP knr/sb/ah

KEYWORD: PARA MEDALS

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