This set was issued to commemorate the contribution of the Australian mining industry and the discovery of gold to Australia's development as a nation. The two proof coins in the set are:
- Australian Mining - Mining Wheel 20c
- Australian Mining - Gold Prospector $1
Just 6 218 sets were issued with the coins housed sealed in a plastic folder accompanied by an information sheet and protected by colourful presentation box.
The Australian mining industry has seen rapid and sustained growth since its humble origins during the nation's infancy. Though small deposits of coal lead and copper were found shortly after the establishment of the British colony it was the discovery of gold near Bathurst in 1851 that lead to the nation’s biggest gold rush that laid the foundation of economic success.
The reverse design of the dollar coin depicts a prospector panning for gold while the 20c design depicts an image of a large mining wheel.