AC/DC’s 45th anniversary has been marked by the Australian government with a new collection of coins.
A total of 30,000, 50c coins have been made available, but 10 of them are different from the rest.
The Royal Australian Mint report that they collaborated with The Questacon National Science And Technology Centre to mark 10 of the coins with 3,500,000 volts of artificial lightning using a Tesla coil in what turned out to be a High Voltage experiment.
Royal Australian Mint chief executive officer Ross MacDiarmid says: “AC/DC is famous for their electrifying energy. It’s in their music, the titles of some of their songs, even their insignia.
“The Mint thought that such an iconic band deserved high voltage coins and an electrifying launch to match.
“We weren’t sure what effect the lightning would have on the coins, but we discovered that because the coins are such excellent conductors of electricity, the lightning’s mark is only visible under magnification.”
The 10 special coins will be sent out randomly to customers who order the AC/DC: 45 Years Of Thunder Uncirculated Coins through the Mint’s online store.
MacDiarmid adds: “Striking these 10 coins with lightning adds a uniquely AC/DC element to this release. To help the 10 lucky customers identify their Thunderstruck coins, we have added unique frosting to the coin’s AC/DC logo.”
In addition, the Mint have also released a nickel-plated, plectrum-shaped $5 coin, featuring the band’s iconic logo. Orders will be shipped with an actual guitar pick along with the coin in an amp-shaped presentation box.
Both coins are officially licensed AC/DC merchandise. Check them out below.
