2012 Australian Opal Wombat Silver Coin

The 2012 Opal Wombat Silver Coin has been issued by the Perth Mint of Australia as the second strike in its Australian opal series.

A design showcasing the wombat is featured on the reverse of the 99.9% pure silver coin on an inner panel of pure opal.

This coin is released as the second of the opal series which made its debut in February with the appearance of the Opal Koala silver coin.

That inaugural strike has since sold out leading collector’s attention towards this limited mintage Wombat silver coin. An additional six strikes are planned in the program at a rate of two per year, each featuring a different Australian nocturnal animal.

Wombats are native to Australia and are completely herbivorous feeding on grasses, roots, mosses, etc. The creature is a marsupial but has a backwards facing pouch so dirt is not forced over the young as it digs its burrows.

Only 8,000 of these Wombat coins will be sold by the Perth Mint of Australia. This is the same mintage seen for the sold-out koala release. The Perth Mint website (perthmint.com.au) is currently offering the Opal Wombat Silver Coin for AUS $ 114.55 (~US$ 120.56).

Opal Wombat Silver Coin Designs and Specifications

Aleysha Howarth designed the reverse which contains the image of the wombat. The creature can be found on the inner panel of pure Australian opal. Surrounding the opal is an outer panel depicting Bottlebursh leaves and blossoms. In addition, the reverse design showcases a waxing crescent moon and the Southern Cross constellation which is only visible from the Southern hemisphere.

Reverse inscriptions include "WOMBAT" and "1 OZ 999 SILVER." The Perth Mint’s historic ‘P’ mintmark may also be seen on the reverse.

Offered on the obverse of the coin is the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Surrounding the portrait are the inscriptions of "ELIZABETH II," "AUSTRALIA" and the face value of the strike, "1 DOLLAR."

As indicated by those obverse inscriptions, these coins are struck as legal tender of Australia. The authority to do so was granted under the Australian Currency Act of 1965.

Each coin is struck from one ounce of 99.9% pure silver with a diameter of 36.60 mm and a maximum thickness of 4.5mm. Minimum gross weight of each piece is 31.135 grams.

Making this series more unique is the display cases shipped with each release. As the case is open, a light turns on inside shining down on the opal coin.

A numbered certificate of authenticity accompanies each coin which is shipped with the strike and the case inside an illustrated shipper.