MDC Awards Create a Buzz

At the awards ceremony held during the gala dinner at the Mint Directors Conference in Ottawa last month, the winner of the Best Circulating Coin category was the Royal Australian Mint (RAM) for the $2 Honey Bee coin, issued in 2022 as a joint collaboration with the Honey Bee Industry Council to mark the bicentennial of the establishment of the bee industry in Australia.

There are approximately 20,000 registered beekeepers operating more than 640,000 hives across Australia, producing up to 30,000 tonnes of honey each year which is consumed in nearly 40 countries across the globe and is estimated to contribute A$4-6 billion to the Australian economy.

The reverse of the Honey Bee coin has a central circle printed in a honey-coloured ink, which is protected by an intricate sculptured honeycomb. Surrounding the circle are engravings of two bees at work, along with examples of the plants they pollinate.