One of the mints 2oz antiqued coins with an esoteric subject and a gimmick, the Abacus is the chosen subject this time around. Sitting in the middle of the chunky surround is a working gilded counting frame. Surrounding that, on the reverse face is a scene of camels and merchants travelling on the Silk Road of old, while the obverse depicts a pattern of counting beads, along with the Queens effigy and the issue details.

This has been a series of unusual and interesting designs for which the mint is to be commended. Natasha Muhl has done some fine work here and the 45.6 mm coin with its 2,500 mintage will sell for $229.00 AUD

Typical of their innumerable 1oz proof coloured coins, this one has nevertheless come as a bit of a surprise. Suicide Squad was a movie that tended to divide people into those that thought it sub-par, and those that thought it wasn’t good enough to be called sub-par. That the movie is getting a coin series is definitely unexpected. There’s nothing here to dislike if you like the movie. A sharp image on a clean-struck themed background is something the Perth Mint has plenty of practice with. The Joker is  an iconic character, even if Jared Leto’s interpretation is not a patch on Heath Ledgers, although to be fair, Ledger had more to work with.

We like the new boxes being used this year. The clear acrylic lid is a great touch for easy display and they remain sturdier than the latex counterparts. If the recipient of the coin is a DCEU fan, they’ll probably find much to like here. The 5,000 mintage is typical of this kind of coin and we suspect most will find homes with casual collectors rather than the more hardcore coin fan. Sells for $115.00 AUD.

Everything from the specification, the price and the packaging is the same for this coin as it was with the Suicide Squad one. Star Trek is nothing new from the Perth Mint and this is a good looking example of what is a fundamentally unambitious type of coin. The coin is a definite step up from earlier Trek coins they’ve issued.

A little surprising was a mintage of 3,000 pieces, well below the arguably less popular Joker coin which hits 5k.

The Australian Nugget bullion coin was issued just a couple of months ago, and while its a superb subject for a coin, it isn’t a particularly aesthetic one. However, the gilded version here does work better. A 5,000 mintage is again, quite typical. Designed by Stuart Devlin, the well respected creator of many Australian coins like the Mob of Roos, it will sell for $95.00 AUD.

If there’s one thing the Perth Mint is known for above all else, it’s their many bullion coins, along with the huge and varied range of premium versions of them (proof, gilded, UHR, coloured, etc.). The Koala is one of the oldest and most popular of them all, and these high-end variants are the best of them.

The 5oz ultra high relief silver one is a particular favourite and the $499.00 AUD coin with its 500 mintage is probably the best looking of them all. The 2019 Koala is a nice piece of work anyway.

A couple of high relief gold ones are also making their debut. A 1oz coin (500 mintage, $3099) and a 2oz coin (150 mintage  $6199) are available. The silver is presented in the clear lidded box used by the Kirk and Joker coins, while the gold pair come in a more traditional wooden box.

A silver version of the pretty 2019 gold kangaroo coin, this one has selective gilding to make it stand out. A one ounce 0.9999 silver coin with a 5,000 mintage and a $95.00 AUD price tag. It comes presented in the usual grey snapper coin box.