Five newly released 2012 Discover Australia Silver Proof Coins are enabling enthusiasts a chance to discover the amazing scenery found within Australia as well as the animals that inhabit it. The Perth Mint coins depict a different creature of the country placed amidst a colored background of the distinctive regions they inhabit.
Each of this year’s proof coins from the Discover Australia Series is limited to a maximum mintage of just 7,500. They are available individually or as part of a set which includes all five.
Discover Australia Silver Proof Coin Designs
Five unique creatures are each featured on a different strike. These include the green and gold bell frog, the red kangaroo, the kookaburra, the goanna and the whale shark. All five contain the same reverse inscriptions of DISCOVER AUSTRALIA, 1 OZ 999 SILVER and the Perth Mint’s historic "P" mintmark along with an inscription of which creature is featured.
The Green and Gold Bell Frog Silver Proof Coin depicts one of the amphibians resting on a branch. The frogs are typically emerald to olive green in color but also display brown and gold markings. Behind the frog, the Three Sisters rock formations of the Blue Mountains can be seen.
Shown on the Red Kangaroo Silver Proof Coin is a standing red kangaroo in front of a colored background of the central Australian outback complete with a windmill. Red Kangaroos are the largest species of kangaroos and are found throughout the mainland of the country. They appear mostly at night while preferring to rest in shady areas during the day.
The Kookaburra Silver Proof Coin finds the bird perched on a tree branch. Behind it is a colored depiction of the surrounding area of the Murray River at sunrise. Kookaburra’s are native to Australia but are well-known to many around the world for their distinctive call which is likened to human laughter.
While many may not recognize the name of Goanna which is featured on the Goanna Silver Proof Coin, the creature is the largest of Australia’s monitor lizards and is the only lizard to have a forked tongue. The coin has a Goanna resting on a rock in front of a rocky Kimberley landscape which includes a Boab tree.
Featuring a colored underwater scene, the Whale Shark Silver Proof Coin depicts the shark which is actually the world’s largest fish. It is shown swimming through the vibrant Ningaloo Reef.
The obverse of each coin in the Discover Australia Series shows a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II of England as designed by Ian Rank-Broadley. Her effigy is surrounded by the inscriptions of ELIZABETH II, AUSTRALIA and 1 DOLLAR.
2012 Discover Australia Coin Specifications
Each Discover Australia Silver Proof Coin is struck from one ounce of .999 fine silver The coins have a diameter of 40.60 mm and a thickness of 4.00 mm.
The Perth Mint places each coin in an individual display case or a five-coin presentation case depending on if a single coin is purchased or the complete set. Both ship in illustrated shippers along with numbered certificates of authenticity which indicate the maximum mintage of each strike of 7,500.
The strikes are struck as legal tender under the Australia Currency Act of 1965. Each features a face value of AUS $1.
Individual coins may be purchased directly from the Perth Mint website for the current price of AUS $97 (~ US $104). The complete five coin set is offered for $486 (~ US $520).
See other Perth Mint coin highlights from this site’s Australian Coin Guide.
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About the Perth Mint
The Perth Mint (www.perthmint.com.au), wholly-owned by the State Government of Western Australia, is the official issuer of the Australian Federal Government’s Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Program but also releases some of the most unique collectible coins in the world. The Mint opened in 1899 in response to the discovery of rich gold deposits in Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. It was Australia’s third branch of Britain’s Royal Mint.
