1996  Betty Cuthbert TEN DOLLARS

Obverse:Queen Elizabeth II - Design by Raphael Maklouf.
Legend: ELIZABETH. II. AUSTRALIA 1996
Reverse:Betty Cuthbert - Design by Horst Hahne
Legend: AUSTRALIA'S GREATEST OLYMPICS 10 DOLLARS.
BETTY CUTHBERT
Edge:Plain edge.
Weight:20.77 grams.
Size:34.1 mm (diameter) 2.9 mm (thickness).
Composition:.999 Silver.
Silver Content:.6678 oz.
Mintage:Canberra: Specimen - 15,300
Mintmarks:None.

Valuation :
1996 Betty Cuthbert TEN DOLLARS

Specimen
2002

185

Notes:

This reverse-frosted specimen coin was encapsulated and distributed for inclusion in a special hinged lid case housing the 3-year, 6-coin Olympic Heritage series.

Historical Feature:

Betty Cuthbert
The 'Golden Girl'
of Australian athletics.

At the age of thirteen, Betty Cuthbert was discovered by June Ferguson, her P. E. Teacher at Parramatta Home Science School. When only eighteen and still a virtual unknown in the world of athletics, Betty fulfilled her early promise by setting a new world record of 23.2 seconds for the 200 metres.

Two months later at the Melbourne Olympics she went on to win three gold medals. In the 100m heats, her winning time of 11.4 seconds was a new Olympic record. In the final, she won the race easily with a time of 11.5 seconds. She then won the 200m at a time of 23.4, equalling the Olympic record. In the 4 x 100m relay, she helped the Australian team take the gold in a world record time of 44.5 seconds.

At the 1960 Rome Olympics, she failed to win any medals and feeling she had done enough for athletics, retired. Being a true champion, she made a comeback at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. The rest is history. Her 52 second 400m gold medal run in Tokyo was one of the great Olympic track moments. Betty was the only Australian female track and field athlete to win gold medals eight years apart. She won a Helms Award in 1964 and an M. B. E. in 1965.

Source: Certificate of Authenticity accompanying the 1996 Olympic Heritage Specimen $10 pair.

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