There’s no let-up in our desire to bring you the cream of modern numismatics with another extraordinary choice of offerings for March.
The Land Down Under goes up in size with two large- format versions of the spectacular Sydney Opera House coins that debuted last month.
The extremely popular Australian Opal Series makes a welcomed return with the third release featuring a kangaroo.
Rivalling it for intensity of colour is our new Aurora Australis coin from another familiar series, the Australian Antarctic Territory.
There’s never been a more exciting time for Koala collectors. Celebrating the platinum Proof Koala series of yesteryear, we’re issuing a prestigious 25th Anniversary tribute accompanied by a special mintmarked medallion.
Meanwhile, an absolutely extraordinary 5oz high relief silver Koala is destined to become a classic!
Also including details of this year’s ANZAC Day release, the latest new coin bulletin is one to savour.
Following the huge success of the original Koala coin (sold out) from the innovative and delightful Australian Opal Series, this Wombat release has just been issued by The Perth Mint.
Highly anticipated additions to the Australian Map-Shaped Coin Series and Australian Opal Coin Series make their appearance in this month’s Bulletin. With several other superb collector releases, including the first colourised Australian Outback Silver Coin Collection, this is an issue not to miss!
Coin Update recently caught up with Perth Mint designer Aleysha Howarth.
As one of the forces behind the Mint’s Australian Opal series, Aleysha has special interest in innovative design in modern numismatics.
“Collectors want to see exciting things and The Perth Mint is constantly pushing the boundaries. It’s great to be able to be a part of that,” she explained.
Find out more about Aleysha’s life as a designer at The Perth Mint, including what coin programs she’s found most satisfying, how the Opal series came about, and what motivates her to keep designing.
Renowned for its inventive approach to numismatic products, our design team has come up with another wonderfully innovative coin idea.
The Australian Opal Series celebrates the nocturnal nature of many of Australia’s favourite native animals. As the title suggests, the concept involves pure Australian opal, a precious gemstone famed for its iridescent play of rainbow colours.
Each of the eight coins in the series is made from 1oz of 99.9% pure silver. Struck elements portray Australian flora and a representation of the Moon in one of its eight phases.
But the highlight of each new coin is its mesmerising central design featuring an iconic Australian animal detailed in genuine opal, contrasted by the dark shadow of night.
The first release portrays a koala, an arboreal marsupial that becomes more active after sunset. The animal’s opal image glows from within an inky blackness.
This stunning effect is achieved with precisely cut slices of Australian opal, inset in the middle of the silver coin. They’re covered in glass selectively printed with black dye to create a window through which a play of colour is revealed in the form of Aleysha Howarth’s intricate koala design.
Our coin design team came up with another bright idea for the presentation packaging. Whenever the lid of the display case is opened, a small light automatically illuminates the coin within – reflective of the Moon shining down on a nocturnal Australian animal!
For full details of the Australian Opal Series release schedule, mintages and further information, please click here.
