The Royal Australian Mint is pushing the boundaries in National Science Week and celebrating astronomy and engineering with its newest innovation ‒ a curved coin.

With the curved coin creating a domed shape it seemed only fitting for it to emulate the night sky and feature the well known Southern Cross.

"An astronomical design was perfect for this coin and not only because of the dome shape, we also added colour to truly capture the essence of the night sky and bring it to life," said Mr Ross MacDiarmid, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Australian Mint.

"The Royal Australian Mint has always been at the forefront of coin design and this latest coin release shows just how innovative and unique our products are," said Mr MacDiarmid.

The Mint had unveiled prototypes of the curved coin late last year but they are now hitting the shelves and being snapped up very quickly because of its uniqueness and theming.

"We are always thinking of new ways to develop technologically, and this product was a real challenge in creating a visually appealing design on curved precious metal," Mr MacDiarmid said.

The coin design features the Crux constellation, otherwise known as the Southern Cross, which spans the domed surface of the silver coin like a celestial sphere. There are also navigational markers bordering the design, which point out where the viewer would face when looking up at the sky to get the best view of the constellation.

"This is the first release dedicated to constellations visible in the Australian sky, and in this new age of space exploration, we look forward to bringing you more astronomically themed products in the years to come," Mr MacDiarmid said.

The 2012 $5 Southern Sky ‒ The Crux Silver Proof Colour Printed Domed coin, retailing at $110, is available now through the Royal Australian Mint.

For more information about these products please visit www.ramint.gov.au

To read the complete press release, see:www.ramint.gov.au/media/press-releases/2012/20120815.cfm