Silver Coin Commerce

This Australian Investment Coin has been  issued by the Perth Mint since 2007. The reverse shows the motive of a Koala bear, which is changed on a yearly basis. The other side of the coin depicts a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, as is common practice with coins of the Commonwealth. The Perth Mint has been minting the koala coin in ½ ounce(oz), 10oz and 1kg sizes since 2008. This coin is also available in gold, specifically for coin collectors. However, the gold coin cannot be considered as a classical investment coin, due to the fact that it only appears in small editions with limited numbers of copies and a relatively high premium on the original material value.

The Silver Koala can easily be confused with the Australian platinum investment coin, which has been wearing a koala motive from 1988 till 2000.

The silver koala coin is a legal means of payment in Australia. However, the material value is by far higher than the nominal value indicated.

General Coin Information

The 2010 Australian Koala Silver Coin marks the fourth issue of this popular series. The coins are struck in four sizes – 1 kilo, 10 oz, 1 oz, and 1/2 oz, with the 1 kilo size bearing a slightly different design. These collectible coins are struck on a mint to order basis, and total production will be determined when the 2011 design is announced, thus closing the 2010 offering.

The koala, native to Australia, is practically an icon synonymous with the country. Probably the only other animal to claim the same distinction would be the kangaroo, a fellow marsupial.

Living almost entirely on a diet of eucalypt leaves, the koala’s habitat is restricted to areas of Australia capable of growing the trees.

Koalas were hunted almost to extinction in the early 20th century for their fur, but their numbers have grown steadily under the protection of the government.

Some key points for the coins include their government assurance of weight and purity, their Australian legal tender status, limited mintages, versatile sizes and new annual reverse designs.

Obverse Design

An image of Queen Elizabeth II is shown on the obverse along with the inscriptions “Queen Elizabeth II”, “Australia”, “2010″ and the denomination.

Reverse Designs

The reverse features a young koala on a tree branch eating gum leaves. Also present are the inscriptions of the weight, “999 Silver” and the Perth Mint’s historic ‘P’ mintmark.

Australian Koala Silver Coin Specifications

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Reference:

worldmintcoins.com