2011 Australian Koala 1/10 oz Silver Coin Debuts

The Perth Mint of Australia has added another option to its popular koala bullion coin series — the 2011 Australian Koala 1/10 oz Silver Coin.

This new Australian Koala silver coin pushes the number of sizes available in the series to five. It joins the 1/2 oz, 1 oz, 10 ounce, and 1 kilo bullion coins. The Perth likely added the smaller offering in response to the silver market which has been making advances into prices not seen in over 30 years. By adding the 1/10 oz Koala Coin to their line-up, the Perth has affordable options for anyone interested in obtaining at least one of the unique coins.

The Australian Koala silver coin series itself dates back to 2007 and has featured annually changing designs ever since. That adds deeper interest for coin collectors as most other legal tender bullion coins bear the same designs year after year.

Shown on the reverse of the 2011 coin is a design by Australian artist Elise Martinson. She created the image of a young koala, also known as a joey, clinging to a branch of a Eucalyptus tree. An adult rests nearby in the fork of that same tree. Surrounding the design are the inscriptions of "AUSTRALIAN KOALA" and "2011 1/10 oz 999 SILVER." The Perth Mint’s historic ‘P’ mintmark is found on the right side of the design near the branch of the tree.

Struck as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act of 1965, the obverse of the Australian Koala silver coin contains Ian Rank-Broadley’s effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Inscribed around the portrait are "ELIZABETH II," "AUSTRALIA" and "10 CENTS."

Each ten cent strike contains 1/10 oz of 99.9% pure silver, or 3.135 grams of the precious metal. The coin has a diameter of 20.60 mm and a thickness of 2.0 mm. The Perth Mint places each 1/10 oz Koala on a full-color illustrated presentation card.

Anyone interested in purchasing one of the coins may do so now directly from the Perth Mint (http://www.perthmint.com.au/) for AUS $13.84 (prices may vary slightly each day depending on the prevailing cost of silver).

 

About the Perth Mint

The State Government of Western Australia owns the Perth Mint which is the official issuer of the Australian Federal Government’s Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Program. The Perth was originally opened in 1899 by the Royal Mint of England who added the Perth to address the vast gold deposits discovered in nearby Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. At the time of its opening, it was the third branch of the Royal Mint to be operated in Australia joining the Sydney Mint and the Melbourne Mint (both of which are now closed).

In 1970, Great Britain transferred ownership of the facility to the State Government of Western Australia. It continues to operate as one of the world’s premier gold refineries as well as a producer of gold coin and gold coin blanks in addition to its silver coin operations.