The Mint

First published on 8 May 2008. Updated on 3 Sep 2010.

This attractive building with its white colonial façade and two-storey, double-colonnaded veranda was built between 1811 and 1816 as the southern wing of the Sydney Hospital. It turned into a coin-making operation – the first branch of the Royal Mint outside London – in the 1850s, following the discovery of gold in NSW, and continued to churn out money until 1926. The building has a modest historical exhibition presenting its many incarnations. The building now houses the headquarters of the Historic Houses Trust. It is also home to the Sydney Mint Café and the recently opened Mint Shop, one of Sydney’s unique shopping experiences with great range of exclusive gift items for sale.