New from the Perth Mint of Australia and its ANZAC Spirit 100th Anniversary Coin Series is a silver 50-cent piece remembering the first convoy to depart from Australia on November 1, 1914 to join Allied forces in the northern hemisphere.
Coins are composed of one-half ounce of 99.9% pure silver and, reflective of the centennial date, have a mintage limited to 1,914.
The Perth Mint created the release as part its series that honors the contributions of those who served in World War I.
"These unique commemorative coins pay homage to the Australian men and women who served in the First World War, capturing some of the most prominent events in the nation’s history in brilliant 99.9% pure silver," offers the Perth Mint of Australia on ANZAC Spirit page of its website.
The ANZAC Spirit 100th Anniversary Coin Series debuted from the Perth Mint earlier this year and is scheduled to run through 2018.
First Convoy 2014 Silver Coin Designs and Specifications
On November 1, 1914, a convoy of 39 ships left King George’s Sound at Albany, Western Australia to join Allied forces in the northern hemisphere. The convoy was made up of ships from the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) and marked the largest convoy to have ever left the country. Aboard were approximately 30,000 Australian and New Zealand troops along with about 8,000 horses.
The 2014 First Convoy Silver Proof Coin shows two ships taking to the sea with a backdrop of a colored coastline of King George’s Sound in Albany. Above the design are ALBANY W.A., 100TH ANNIVERSARY NOVEMBER 1914, and FIRST CONVOY. Below are a list of the 39 ships, a red poppy motif, the Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mint mark, and the initials WR for the coin’s designer, Wade Robinson.
Struck as legal tender of Australia, the obverse features Ian Rank-Broadley’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Inscriptions around the portrait include ELIZABETH II, AUSTRALIA, 2014, 1/2 OZ 999 SILVER and the coin’s face value of 50 CENTS.
ANZAC First Convoy Silver Coin Specifications
| Silver Content (Troy oz) | 0.50 |
| Monetary Denomination (AUD) | 0.50 |
| Fineness (% purity) | 99.9 |
| Minimum Gross Weight (g) | 15.591 |
| Maximum Diameter (mm) | 32.60 |
| Maximum Thickness (mm) | 3.10 |
| Maximum Mintage | 1914 |
| Obverse Designer | Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Reverse Designer | Wade Robinson |
A black and red themed display case is included with each purchase and features the words PRIDE, RESPECT, and GRATITUDE.
Ordering
The ANZAC Spirit 100th Anniversary First Convoy 2014 Silver Proof Coin may be ordered directly from the Perth Mint of Australia for AUS $57.73, or about US $50.63. An affiliate link to the Perth Mint’s ANZAC program page is located here.
