What if these sandstone walls could talk? The Mint in Sydney would narrate tales of rum, riches, and remarkable transformations. It stands here a silent witness to Sydney’s evolution.
Originally part of the Rum Hospital, The Mint’s story began in 1811. Governor Lachlan Macquarie initiated the hospital’s construction. He contracted Garnham Blaxcell, Alexander Riley, and D’Arcy Wentworth. Their payment was 45000 gallons of rum. Hence its infamous nickname.
Completed in 1816, the hospital comprised three wings. The Mint is the southern wing that once housed assistant surgeons. Today the northern wing forms part of Parliament House. The central wing, where patients were treated, is now gone.
Its design shows Greek architectural influences. Cedar timber columns mimic Doric mouldings. The columns angle inwards creating an optical illusion similar to the Parthenon.
But the hospital faced early criticism. Architect Francis Greenway found weak joints and poor foundations. Despite these flaws, it is the oldest surviving public building in Sydney’s CBD.
By 1851, the gold rush changed everything. Large amounts of unrefined gold threatened the official currency. The British government approved a Sydney branch of the Royal Mint in 1853. The southern wing became The Mint.
Captain F.C. Ward designed the mint buildings. Joseph Trickett adapted Ward’s plans. He incorporated the hospital’s southern wing for offices and accommodation. The coining factory was built at the rear.
The Mint officially opened on May 14, 1855. It was the first branch of the Royal Mint outside England. In its first five years, it converted over one million pounds worth of gold into coins each year. These coins were accepted in all British colonies by 1868. However Britain accepted them in 1886. The coins were similar to those made in Britain with a small mint mark.
The Mint distributed British bronze coins from 1868. It later distributed Imperial silver coinage from 1879. After federation, it was one of three mints to strike new Commonwealth coins.
Throughout its operation, The Mint hosted the Philosophical Society of New South Wales. Senior staff members were often founding members. Experiments on native timbers and coal combustibility occurred here. The Mint became the heart of Sydney’s scientific community.
However by 1926, The Mint faced closure. Melbourne and Perth Mints had better technology and profitability. The Sydney Mint closed in January 1927.
After closing as a mint, government offices moved in. The Government Insurance Office was one of the first. Later, law courts occupied the coining factory.
In 1937, Barker College acquired The Mint’s Macquarie Street gates. Copies were later cast in iron and reinstated during the 1980s.
Restoration began in 1975. In 1982, The Mint reopened as a branch of the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences. It became a museum. In 1998, ownership transferred to the Historic Houses Trust.
Today, The Mint houses Museums of History NSW’s head office. It also hosts the Caroline Simpson Library and Research Collection. You can also find the Bullion cafe here.
So as you stand here at The Mint consider its layered history. From a hospital built on rum to a coining factory fueling an economy it’s a place where Sydney’s past is literally etched in stone.