Australia’s Remarkable Reptiles series continues with the ultimate apex predator – Saltie, the awesome Saltwater Crocodile

One of the many coloured proof silver coin series that the Perth Mint seems to specialise in, Remarkable Reptiles has seen some cool designs over the last few years. Debuting in 2013 with the Frill-Necked Lizard, the annual release schedule saw the Thorny Devil Lizard, Blue Tongue Lizard, and the Goanna in subsequent years. Now time for the fifth release, it is to the king of the reptiles that the mint has turned, the awesome Saltwater Crocodile.

The world’s largest living reptile, the saltwater or estuarine crocodile lives in the brackish waters of north Australia and can swim large distances, even out to sea. An opportunistic ambush predator of immense strength, the saltwater crocodile will attack anything in its reach, including turtles, birds, small mammals, and fish. Average-size males can grow over five metres long and weigh in excess of 450 kilograms.

The coin is a standard one-ounce fine-silver round with selective colouring on the reverse face. It’s a good example of the type, not ambitious in execution, but appealing with a good design. Crocodiles are quite hard to depict on a small round disc, the best to date in our view going the rectangular route instead. The coloured artwork here is well proportioned with good perspective, well framed by a clean-struck ‘skin’ border. Just the inscription ‘SALTWATER CROCODILE’ is present on this face.

The obverse has the obligatory effigy of Queen Elizabeth II that adorns Tuvalu coins, surrounded by inscriptions of the date, composition etc. Packaging on this series is better than the standard Perth Mint snapper case, being a polished wood box that also holds a serialised certificate of authenticity. Priced at $109.00 AUD, the mintage is set at 5,000 and the coin is available to buy now.