Medal - Sinking of SMS Emden by HMAS Sydney, Western Australia, Australia, 1914 Reg. No: NU 20937

Sir/Madam,
The remainder were sold to the public as souvenirs and money accrued about production costs were to go to the RAN Relief Fund. The Powerhouse webpage states the remaining coins were melted down. Who is correct?
Issued by WA 1940, Amor Mint, & Ship depicted this do not appear to be correct.

The contents of the German raider S.M.S. Emden's treasury consisting of Mexican dollars were seized by the HMAS Sydney as prize money. Of the original 6,429 dollars, the Australian Navy Board had 1,000 mounted as medals, 996 distributed to the crew of the Sydney, to admiralty, distinguished persons, libraries, museums, historical societies, etc. both in England and Australia, and the remaining 4,433 melted down at the Sydney Mint and the proceeds of œ1,070 donated to the Royal Australian Navy Relief Fund
Those donated to the crew had their service number initials and surname along with rank stamped into the back

Peter, both answers about disposal of the coins and monies accrued are correct. The money left over from the public sale of the medal mounted coins after the cost of manufacture and gratis issue to crew members, etc was deducted was donated to the RAN Families Relief Fund. A number of unmounted coins were donated to libraries, museums, members of parliament, etc. The remaining 4,500 or so coins were melted down into four ingots averaging 925 ounces each and these were offered for public sale in January 1920. The offer for sale of the ingots was published in The Sydney Morning Herald's "For Sale" section on 3 January 1920. The advertisement states that tenders for purchase were to be sent to the Commodore-in-Charge, Garden Island, Sydney and included the statement that "This Silver is the proceeds of Silver Mexican Dollars recovered from the S.M.S. Emden after her destruction by H.M.A.S. Sydney."