Japanese midget submarine attack on Sydney Harbour marked on a silver coin 75 years later

A startling event at the time, proof that the war was closer to Australian borders than many wanted to believe, the 1942 attack on ships moored in Sydney Harbour by a trio of Japanese midget submarines is one of those tales of daring that fill the history of war. These tiny 23.9 metre long, 44 ton submarines with a crew of two, carried two torpedoes and were not designed for much more than a one-way trip.

Struck in a troy ounce of fine silver and issued for Niue, this is a great design, full of neat touches. The submarine has excellent perspective, seemingly sailing out of the coin. The background shows the damaged HMAS Kattabul, with Sydney Harbour Bridge behind. A Japanese floatplane (possibly an Aichi E13A ‘Jake’) is flying overhead. The inscription is a little intrusive, but that’s a minor point in what is otherwise a very cool coin. Packaging includes a wooden box with a coa, all supplied inside a coloured shipper. Only 750 will be struck and it sells for $149.00 AUD. Available now from Downies.

MINTS DESCRIPTION: Distinguished by the depth and detail in the design, and a tiny mintage of just 750, the 2017 $1 Attack on Sydney Harbour Ultra High Relief 1oz Silver Proof commemorates the 75th anniversary of one of the most important moments in Australian military history.

On the night of the May 31, 1942, three Ko-hyoteki class midget submarines slipped into Sydney Harbour. Two were detected before they could launch their torpedoes, with the vessels scuttled and the crew committing suicide. The third submarine sank HMAS Kuttabul, with the loss of 21 lives, before disappearing. Although largely unsuccessful, the midget submarine operation reinforced the fear that the invasion of the Australian mainland was imminent.