Perth Mint brings the Great Barrier Reef to life with a huge two-kilogram fine silver coin

One of the most incredible places on this planet, the Great Barrier Reef off the eastern coast of Australia has had relatively little in the way of numismatic celebration. Australian dealer/producer Downies did a neat five-ounce coin back in early 2018, and there’ve been fish coins, of course, but little featuring the reef itself. It’s doubly surprising given the popularity of nature coins from the various Antipodean mints.

The Perth Mint has stepped up to the plate now, and appear to have done so in quite some style. It isn’t often we get to talk about a numismatic release which weighs in at two kilos, with only the Royal Mint using the size at anything approaching regularity, and even then only as part of a range of sizes. A custom coin at that size is extremely rare, but the Great Barrier Reef coin from the Perth Mint, the fourth in this series (following Koala, Kangaroo & Kookaburra issues), shows us just what’s possible.

The mints high-relief coins are different from most others in that they have concave faces, are thicker, and have a smaller than normal diameter. That concept has been used here also, with a striking dished look on both faces, and a diameter the same as that of a one-kilo coin. The thickness is an impresive 36.6 mm, bigger than the diameter of a 1oz HR! It looks quite amazing, with tons of detail and the appearance that you’re looking down into the reef. While the Green Turtle is the star attraction, there’s a plethora of supporting creatures giving the scene plenty of life.

The obverse has the usual effigy of QEII at its centre, and it almost looks like one of those old Victorian cameo portraits. The presentation is first class, with the mint managing to produce an acrylic block frame for this mighty beast. We get the sense that many will want to display it instead of sticking it in the pile with the rest of their collection. This has always been a very pretty series of coins, even at almost $4.5k AUD, but this is the best to date, we think. Only 200 will be minted and it’s available now.

THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres and encompassing an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world’s biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

The Great Barrier Reef supports a diversity of life, including many vulnerable or endangered species, some of which may be endemic to the reef system. Six species of sea turtles come to the reef to breed: the green sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, hawksbill turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, flatback turtle, and the Olive Ridley. Fifteen species of seagrass in beds attract the dugongs and turtles, and provide fish habitat.

Thirty species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef, including the dwarf minke whale, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, and the humpback whale. Large populations of dugongs live there along with more than 1,500 fish species, including the clownfish, red bass, red-throat emperor, and several species of snapper and coral trout. Forty-nine species mass spawn, while eighty-four other species spawn elsewhere in their range. Seventeen species of sea snake live on the Great Barrier Reef in warm waters up to 50 metres deep and are more common in the southern than in the northern section. None found in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area are endemic, nor are any endangered.

Saltwater crocodiles live in mangrove and salt marshes on the coast near the reef. Nesting has not been reported, and the salt water crocodile population in the GBRWHA is wide-ranging but low density. Around 125 species of shark, stingray, skates or chimaera live on the reef. Close to 5,000 species of mollusc have been recorded on the reef, including the giant clam and various nudibranchs and cone snails. Forty-nine species of pipefish and nine species of seahorse have been recorded. At least seven species of frog inhabit the islands. 215 species of birds (including 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds) visit the reef or nest or roost on the islands.

Four hundred coral species, both hard corals and soft corals inhabit the reef. The majority of these spawn gametes, breeding in mass spawning events that are triggered by the rising sea temperatures of spring and summer, the lunar cycle, and the diurnal cycle. Reefs in the inner Great Barrier Reef spawn during the week after the full moon in October, while the outer reefs spawn in November and December. (Based on Wikipedia)

SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION $60 AUD (Australia)
COMPOSITION 0.9999 silver
WEIGHT 2,000 grams
DIMENSIONS 101.3 mm
FINISH Antique
MODIFICATIONS Ultra high-relief, Serial on edge
MINTAGE 200
BOX / C.O.A. Yes / Yes