2022 Tamworth Country Music Festival 50th Anniversary Fifty Cent (50c) Uncirculated Australian Decimal Coin

Tamworth staged its first country music festival in 1973 with the annual event now attracting more than 300,000 visitors. This is Australia’s largest music festival and has been recognised as one of the top 10 music festivals in the world. 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the event, and the signature Golden Guitar awards.

In January 1973, Tamworth radio station 2TM staged the first Australasian Country Music Awards, awarding the inaugural Golden Guitar to Joy McKean for her song “Lights On The Hill.”

Since then, the festival has grown, attracting more than 300,000 visitors. However, in 2021, COVID-19 limited festival activities, with only the presentation of the Golden Guitar awards going ahead.

The festival grew out of the long running promotion of country music by Tamworth radio station 2TM. In 1968, the Tamworth branch of the Country Music Association launched a talent quest, held on the Australia Day long weekend, setting the scene for what was to come.

Then in 1969, 2TM named Tamworth Australia’s “Country Music Capital”.
After a solid start in 1973, the festival expanded rapidly, attracting a growing number of Australian and overseas visitors, keen to listen to some of the 700 performers at 120 different venues over the ten day event. This is now Australia’s largest music festival and is recognised as one of the top 10 music festivals in the world.

• The set features a guitar design marking the 50th anniversary of the event.
• Packaged in a themed card
• Coin produced in Aluminium Bronze
• Mintage of only 30,000 coins produced