OTTAWA, Aug. 31--CNW-AsiaNet/InfoQuest The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to announce that it has been selected to mint New Zealand's new low-value coins at its Winnipeg coin plating facility. "The Royal Canadian Mint's ability to compete and win international contracts speaks to our reputation for high quality," said CEO and President, David C. Dingwall. "By producing high quality, less costly coins for New Zealand, which meet their vending industry requirements, we are demonstrating that we are one of the world's most innovative mints." Earlier this year, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand announced the decisionto modernize its existing coins. Their plans include making the current 50,20, 10 cents coins smaller and of lighter, lower cost plated-steel. The Reserve Bank plans to issue the new coins in July 2006. The Royal Canadian Mint's Winnipeg coin plating facility is the most modern and innovative in the world. Through a unique and patented electroplating process, the facility and skilled technicians offer domestic and world markets superior plating for coins, and for blanks used by coin manufacturers. The Royal Canadian Mint produces over 1 billion Canadian circulationcoins annually. The Crown Corporation also competes against other Mints forinternational contracts and has produced coins and coin blanks for over 60 countries in the last 25 years. The Royal Canadian Mint, an ISO 9001-2000 certified company, is the CrownCorporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. In operation since 1908, the Royal Canadian Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Royal Canadian Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca . SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mint CONTACT: please contact: Christine Aquino, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications (613) 993-9999, (613) 991 5342, [email protected] Archived images on this organization are searchable through CNW Photo Archive website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members. --Distributed by AsiaNet (www.asianetnews.net)--