2012 Forever Love Silver Coin Features Koalas

The Perth Mint of Australia has released the second strike in what has proven to be a popular annual series, the 2012 Forever Love Silver Proof Coin.

Chosen to be featured on the reverse of the new Forever Love silver coin is perhaps the best representative of the idea of love that comes to mind when one considers the country of Australia — namely the cuddly koala.

A maximum mintage of just 7,500 of the Forever Love coins will be struck by the Perth Mint each from 1/2 ounce of 99.9% pure silver to proof quality. These are the same specifications and mintage seen for last year’s sold out 2011 Love Coin which featured doves, well-known internationally as a symbol of love and purity.

The proof coin is currently available directly from the Perth Mint for AUS $61.36 (~$63 US).

2012 Forever Love Silver Coin Designs and Specifications

Designed by Natasha Muhl, the reverse of the 2012 Forever Love silver coin shows a colorized image of two Australian Koalas locked in a gaze of affection. Surrounding the two iconic marsupials is a heart design composed of branches, gum leaves and blossoms. Behind the creatures, an eternal waterfall cascades to a flowing river below.

Inscribed above the design are the words "Forever Love." Additional reverse inscriptions include "1/2 oz 999 Silver," the Perth Mint’s historic ‘P’ mintmark and the initials of "NM" for the designer.

The silver coin is struck as legal tender of the island country of Tuvalu. Accordingly, an image of Queen Elizabeth II of England is found on the obverse. The portrait was completed by Ian Rank-Broadley and is surrounded by the inscriptions of "Queen Elizabeth II," "50 Cents," "Tuvalu," "2012" and the initials of the designer "IRB."

As indicated by those inscriptions, the strike has a face value of fifty cents with each being composed of 1/2 ounce of .999 fine silver. The coin features a gross weight of 15.591 grams, a diameter of 36.60 mm and a thickness of 2.30 mm.

The Perth Mint sends each Forever Love silver coin in a black presentation case inside a colorful shipper along with a numbered certificate of authenticity.

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About the Perth Mint

The Perth Mint (http://www.perthmint.com.au/) was originally established in Australia by the Royal Mint of England in 1899 to process and strike gold recovered from the rich deposits of the region. In 1970, ownership of the Perth was transferred to the State Government of Western Australia and it was declared the official issuer of the Australian Federal Government’s Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Program. It continues in that role today along with operating as one of the most respected gold refineries in the world.