NEW RELEASE: PERTH MINT KICKS OFF 2014 WITH BIG & VARIED RELEASE

After skipping a release run in December, the Perth Mint are back to their monthly release schedule with their first wave of new coins for the new year. It’s a mixed and variable selection with some Lunar Horses, and continuations of the Megafauna, Mythical Creatures and Famous Ships That Never Sailed series. They’re all available to order from the Perth Mint website and with precious metal prices remaining low, the coins are generally well priced. All are 2014 dated.

A few that were initially scheduled for this month have not put in an appearance, such as the 100th Anniversary of Charlie Chaplin coins, the Mothers Love: Lioness coin, and the 450th Anniversary of William Shakespeare 5oz coin. They’re most likely to have been re-scheduled rather than cancelled.

In addition to the coins below, subscribers to the 1/20oz Lunar Series II coloured gold collection can get the Horse coin today.

AUSTRALIAN MEGAFAUNA 02: DIPROTODON

The second in the Megafauna series after last years Procoptodon (giant kangaroo), the Diprotodon is the largest known marsupial to have ever lived. Known as the Giant, or Hippopotamus Wombat, this creature lived from 1.6million to 46,000 years ago and was found over much of Australia. They grew to around 3m long, stood 2m tall at the shoulder, and weighed 2,800kg.

The coin is a bit lighter, and another attractive animal coin from the Perth Mint in their standard format for such things. The series features artwork from reknowned Paleo-illustrator, Peter Trusler and he knows his stuff, the artwork being speculative but entirely believable. Each coin is individually presented in a classic grey display case and comes housed within an illustrated shipper, and is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. Issued as Australian legal tender, the coin’s obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the 2014 year-date and the monetary denomination.

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AUSTRALIAN WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE

This coins claim to fame is that the reverse design was done by famed US Mint engraver, John M. Mercanti, who was their 12th Chief Engraver until his retirement in 2010. Mercanti is responsible for more designs than any other engraver in US Mint history, over 100, and this is the first time a US Mint Chief Engraver has produced a piece for another major mint.

It’s available in high relief gold and silver versions, both weighing an ounce, and is a nice attractive design; very US Mint in fact, who have no lack of experience in portraying eagles. Each coin’s reverse depicts an impressive Wedge-Tailed  Eagle in mid-flight as it prepares to land on a tree branch. The design also includes the inscription AUSTRALIAN WEDGE -TAILED EAGLE, the 2014 year-date and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark.
Each coin’s obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination. Each silver coin is housed in a grey presentation case with a themed, customised shipper and COA. The gold coin comes in a much nicer wooden lid display case.

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1/10 OZ SILVER KOALA

Must admit that I’ve never seen the attraction of a 1/10oz silver coin, given the spot premium being over-inflated so much as production costs overtake the precious metal value. Far better to just buy a 1/2oz, or even for a little more, a 1oz coin and enjoy the artwork a bit more as well as benefitting from a better long-term value. Still, they must be popular as here’s another one. The same opinion dividing design by Michael Guilfoyle as the rest of the 2014 Koalas, it has an unlimited mintage.

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GILDED 1 OZ SILVER KOALA

Another staple of the mint are the gilded versions of it’s popular bullion coins and this time it’s the Koala getting the treatment. The reverse design depicts an  adult  koala  gilded in 24-carat gold,  with a spray of gum leaves. The inscription AUSTRALIAN KOALA, the  year-date, weight,  fineness, and The Perth Mint’s  ‘P’ mintmark also feature as part of the design. The coin’s obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and monetary denomination. The coin is housed in a  display  case  accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. Each case comes in a coloured, illustrated box-shipper.

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FAMOUS SHIPS THAT NEVER SAILED 04: JOLLY ROGER

The next in a 6-coin series celebrating fictional vessels covers the famous pirate ship of Captain Hook, The Jolly Roger. The coin’s reverse portrays a representation of the Jolly Roger anchored at Mermaids’ Lagoon, with Peter Pan flying by the tall ship.  The inscriptions ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘The Jolly Roger’ also feature as part of the design. As before, the coin is presented in a wooden display case in the shape of a book and comes accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. The last two coins will likely be with us this year and have as their subject The Gloria Scott (vessel the subject of Sherlock Holmes first case) and The Nautilus, Captain Nemos ride.

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MYTHICAL CREATURES 05: THE DRAGON

The fifth in a series commissioned by the Coin Club Australia, this last coin depicts the Dragon. The reverse of the coin portrays a coloured dragon guarding piles of treasure including coins, a crown, a chalice and jewels.  A medieval style banner displays a silhouette of a dragon and the monetary denomination, with the inscription ‘dragon’ featured on a scroll. Issued as Tuvalu legal tender, the coin’s obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the year-date and the monetary denomination. This coin is housed in a dark brown presentation case and illustrated shipper accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. The previous coins are covered HERE. A donation of $1 is made to UNICEF for each coin sold.

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YEAR OF THE HORSE 1/10OZ SQUARE GOLD 10-COIN SET

This set first debuted a couple of months ago in China. Here we have a set of ten square coins, issued for Australia, each made from 3.1g of 0.999 gold. The images were painted by the 18th century Jesuit Missionary artist, Giuseppe Castiglione, who spent the last fifty years of his life painting for the Chinese Imperial Court, and whose work is widely regarded today. The obverse featured Queen Elizabeth II, the currency denomination, name, weight and year. Only 1,500 sets will be minted, so quite a nice collectable.

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YEAR OF THE HORSE 1OZ SQUARE SILVER 10-COIN SET

Here we have the same images as the gold set, but as you’d expect given the silver coins have five times the surface area, are much better presented in our opinion. Maximum mintage of 5,000. Each ten-coin collection  is  housed in  a stylish case, accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

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FOREVER LOVE

An annual release, this is the third consecutive year the Perth Mint has issued a 1/2oz coin with this subject. The coin’s reverse by artist Ing Ing Jong depicts a coloured representation of two Major Mitchell  Cockatoos perched on a heart-shaped branch with bush flowers and leaves, with one cockatoo presenting its mate with a sprig of gum blossoms. The design also includes the inscription ‘Forever Love’ and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark. The coin’s obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the monetary denomination and the 2014 year-date. The coin is issued as legal tender under the authority of the Government of the Tuvalu. Presented in a display case, the coin is delivered in a delightful, coloured shipper and numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

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NEWBORN BABY

Released for the first time last year, this years coin follows the same tried and tested format. In western folklore, parents have told their children for centuries that babies are delivered by a stork.  As  an  Australian  take  on  this  legend,  the  coin’s  reverse  depicts  a  cute  Australian kookaburra  carrying  a  sleeping  newborn  baby  in  a  swaddling  cloth.  A  representation  of Australian  vegetation,  the  inscription  CONGRATULATIONS  ON  YOUR  BABY  and  The  Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark are also incorporated into the design. Issued as Australian legal tender, the coin’s obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the year-date and the monetary denomination. The coin is housed in an elaborate Australian themed gift card, with room to write the baby’s details, a family tree and a place to house a photograph. This coin is issued by The Perth Mint on a mint-to-order basis, with the coin’s official mintage to be declared 12 months after its release.

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