Adam G

Review of Greek Media Group (GMG)

The Melbourne Mint, built between 1869 and 1872, f...

The Melbourne Mint, built between 1869 and 1872, first opened on 12 June 1872 as a branch of the Royal Mint in London to manufacture gold sovereigns. Then in 1916, after federation, it began minting Australian silver coins until 1969 when all coin production moved to the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra. It was an extensive factory complex and much larger than you see it today. The Mint laboratories, furnaces, chimneys and coining rooms were demolished in the 1970s and the remaining administrative building was used as the Royal Historical Society of Victoria and the Registry of Civil Marriages into the 80s. Today, the Mint's main building serves as the home to the Hellenic Museum while the northern guardhouse has been converted into a bar and restaurant. The Mint Car Park at the rear of the site under which are the remains of old extensive Mint factory complex, is a public car park that funds activities of the Working Heritage organisation which occupies the southern guardhouse.

The grand Former Royal Mint is a historical landmark 19th century, Renaissance Revival style building. The perimeter wall of the complex is an imposing brick construction with large wrought iron gates and iron lamps. There are prominent golden coat of arms on the front gates and above the small but defined portico of the main entrance on its west-facing facade. All in all, the remaining complex to this day reflects the growing wealth and confidence of gold-rush era Melbourne.