In 1982, the brothers Mickelberg are accused of robbing 49 gold bars from a mint in Perth, Western Australia.

The film is a dramatized recreation of a bold and brilliant crime which resulted in the defrauding of the Perth Mint of gold bullion then worth $650,000 in June 1982.

The screenplay tells of an ingenious and elaborate plot which led the Mint to hand over bullion in return for three dud building society cheques.

Throughout the planning and execution of the swindle, the men behind it remained almost entirely hidden. Largely operating by telephone and letter, they used a series of dupes and temporary employees to carry out their operation. A surprising aspect of the case is that, when they were caught, they proved not to be classic criminals or con-men. Two of the brothers were abalone divers (one of them an ex- SAS commando) and the third was a helicopter pilot.

Their detection came about because of one fatal flaw in their operation. At only one point did they display excessive caution which led to the tracing of two of the cheques to them. Otherwise, their swindle was as daring as it was complicated. As far as is known, the gold bullion was never recovered - which would have increased in value to well over $1 million by 1987.

During the four-week trial the brothers were cross-examined in the witness box for days on end.^[2]

• John Hargreaves as Ray Mickelberg
• Tony Rickards as Peter Mickelberg
• Robert Hughes as Brian Mickelberg
• Steve Jodrell as Chris Hunt
• Margaret Ford as Peggy Mickelberg
• Will Day as Malcolm Mickelberg
• Rosemary Harrison as Sheryl Mickelberg
• Elaine Baillie as Faye Mickelberg

• The Great Mint Swindle, a 2012 telemovie about the mint swindle

• The Great Gold Swindle at IMDb