DESIGN: The reverse of the coin depicts a wonderful coloured image of a Red-Bellied Black Snake, one of the most commonly encountered venomous snakes in Australia. On the reverse, the inscription: “AUSTRALIA’S RED-BELLIED BLACK SNAKE” – the name of the coin. The obverse of the coin depicts the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the inscriptions: “QUEEN ELIZABETH II” – the name of the Queen, “2022” – the year of issue, “TUVALU” – the issuing country, the face value, and the weight of the coin and the fineness of the metal.

DESIGN: The reverse of the coin depicts the stingray on the sea bed. In the middle of the reverse, the inscriptions: “AUSTRALIA’S STINGRAY” – the name of the coin. The obverse of the coin depicts the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the inscriptions: “QUEEN ELIZABETH II” – the name of the Queen, “2021” – the year of issue, “TUVALU” – the issuing country country and “1 DOLLAR” – the face value and “1oz 9999 SILVER” – the weight of the coin and the fineness of the Silver.

DESIGN: The reverse of the coin depicts the tarantula emerging from leaf litter. On the bottom of the reverse, the inscriptions: “AUSTRALIA’S TARANTULA” – the name of the coin. The obverse of the coin depicts the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the inscriptions: “QUEEN ELIZABETH II” – the name of the Queen, “2020” – the year of issue, “TUVALU” – the issuing country country and “1 DOLLAR” – the face value and “1oz 9999 SILVER” – the weight of the coin and the fineness of the Silver.

DESIGN: The reverse of the coin depicts the wonderful coloured image of a Lionfish swimming in the Ocean. On the bottom of the reverse, the inscriptions: “AUSTRALIA’S LIONFISH” – the name of the coin. The obverse of the coin depicts the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the inscriptions: “QUEEN ELIZABETH II” – the name of the Queen, “2019” – the year of issue, “TUVALU” – the issuing country country and “1 DOLLAR” – the face value and “1oz 9999 SILVER” – the weight of the coin and the fineness of the Silver.

DESIGN: The coin’s reverse features one dingo howling with a pair looking out over an outback landscape in the background. The design also includes the inscription AUSTRALIA’S DINGO, the 2018 year-date and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark.

DESIGN: The coin’s reverse features a large bull shark with smaller bull sharks in the background as well as coloured fish and coral. The design also includes the inscription AUSTRALIA’S BULL SHARK, the 2017 year-date and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark.

DESIGN: The reverse of the coin features a coloured Australian Death Adder resting on the ground and preparing to strike. The inscription AUSTRALIA’S DEATH ADDER also appears in the design.

Amongst the world’s oldest ants, having first appeared approximately 100 million years ago, Bull Ants were once found in both the Americas and Europe. Believed to have been first discovered in Australia by Sir Joseph Banks in 1770 whilst sailing the world with James Cook, Bull Ants are today known by over 90 species – all but one of which are endemic to Australia.

Well known for its large powerful jaws and venomous stinger, the Bull Ant has been certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s most dangerous ant, having caused a number of deaths to humans allergic to their powerful venom.

DESIGN: The reverse of the coin features a coloured Australian Bull Ant resting on a leaf while in the background numerous other ants swarm around. The inscription AUSTRALIA’S BULL ANT also appears in the design.

Despite popular belief, spiders are not always the predator in the macro world, often coming off second best to the occasional centipede or wasp. Very few arthropods have spiders as their main diets, but one such creature is Isometroides vescus, the Australian Spiral Burrow, or Spider-hunting Scorpion. With a diet almost exclusively made up of Wolf Spiders (Lycosa), this charming little monster wanders Australia stuffing its face with hairy legs. Found all over Australia, Fiji, Hawaii, Tahiti and Samoa, and growing up to 6cm (2.4″) in length, this orangey-yellow scorpion is not deadly to humans, although they are venomous.

DESIGN: The reverse of the coin features a coloured Australian Spider-Hunting Scorpion resting on grass and gravel, preying on a struck spider. The inscription AUSTRALIA’S SPIDER-HUNTING SCORPION also appears in the design.

Living up to its deadly and dangerous reputation, this boldly striped yellow and black snake has venom that is more toxic than that of a cobra.  The most widely distributed sea snake species, it can be found in warm waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans where it feeds mostly on fish.

No deaths have been recorded from bites in Australian waters and only one death has ever been recorded, helped no doubt by a very effective anti-venom.

DESIGN: The coin’s reverse features a Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake in colour with a coral reef, star fish and other marine life in the background. The inscription AUSTRALIA’S YELLOW-BELLIED SEA SNAKE also appears in the design.

With highly toxic venom produced in large amounts and large fangs to inject it, the Sydney funnel-web is without a doubt The deadliest spider in Australia, and very likely the world, the Sydney Funnel-Web spider is found in New South Wales and commonly found in urban areas as well as forests. Having the habit of finding itself humid sheltered places, they can even survive, and bite, if they fall in a swimming pool. Very aggressive when threatened, they have fangs larger than a brown snake’s and they’re powerful enough to pierce toenails. Just 1.5-3.5cm in size, their venom has a compound that can attack the human nervous system and is quite capable of killing. Since the anti-venom became available in 1981, there have been no fatalities.

DESIGN: The coin’s reverse depicts a deadly Funnel Web Spider against a coloured background of its web and leaves. The inscription AUSTRALIA’S FUNNEL WEB SPIDER is included in the design.

Able to kill in minutes, since 1883 the Box Jellyfish has been responsible for at least 80 known deaths, though likely many more. They have tentacles that are generally invisible, can entangle you and have millions of harpoons that inject a lot of venom at once. The venom contains hemotoxins (which affects the blood and attacks organs) and neurotoxins (which attack the brain), as well as substances which cause scarring on the skin. The sheer agony of the sting can cause cardiac arrest in a couple of minutes. Failing that the venom will polish you off in 30 minutes.

DESIGN: The coin’s reverse depicts a Box Jellyfish against a coloured background of coral reef and tropical fish. The inscription AUSTRALIA’S BOX JELLYFISH is included in the design.

Responsible for 24 known deaths in the last 35 years, the Eastern Brown Snake is regarded as the second most venomous land snake in the world. On average, one person is killed by this snake every year, which makes it the deadliest snake in Australia. The bite can cause cardiac arrest but more commonly leads to rapid and uncontrollable bleeding and kidney failure, with symptoms seen within 15 minutes of the bite. It’s found in urban areas, throughout eastern Australia and an isolated population occurs in the Northern Territory, meaning it’s one of the more commonly encountered snakes.

DESIGN: The coin’s reverse depicts a spectacular coloured image of an Eastern Brown Snake.  With its head high and neck in an ‘S’ shape, the agitated animal is ready to strike.

The Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), also known as saltie or estuarine crocodile, is the largest living reptile, and the males of this species can reach sizes of up to 6.7 m and weigh as much as 2,000 kg. It can live in salt water, but usually resides in mangrove swamps, estuaries, deltas, lagoons, and lower stretches of rivers.

The saltwater crocodile is a formidable and opportunistic hypercarnivorous “apex” ambush predator capable of taking almost any animal that enters its territory, including fish, crustaceans, reptiles, birds and mammals, including other predators. Due to their size and distribution, saltwater crocodiles are the most dangerous extant crocodilian to humans and there are 1-2 deaths every year in Australia.

DESIGN: The coin’s reverse portrays Australia’s deadly and dangerous saltwater crocodile with its jaws agape.

Each small octopus carries enough poison to kill two dozen humans and it’s the same nerve toxin as that found in Japanese delicacy, Fugu fish. The blue-ringed octopus has only been attributed with causing three known deaths, but there have been no deaths since the 1960s and hospital admissions are exceedingly uncommon.

The bite is slight and produces at most only a small laceration with no more than a tiny drop of blood and little or no discoloration. Bites are usually reported as being painless and often the victim doesn’t even know they’ve been bitten.

DESIGN: The reverse portrays the deadly and dangerous Blue Ringed Octopus displaying its vivid blue markings.

One of the most impressive of living creatures, the Great White Shark is an apex predator found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans and has no natural predators other than the Orca (Killer Whale). Mainly known for its size, mature individuals have been recorded growing up to 6.4 m (21 ft) in length, although reports have been published of great white sharks measuring over 8 m (26 ft), and 3,324 kg (7,328 lb) in weight.

The shark reaches maturity around 15 years of age and was previously believed to have a life span of over 30 years. The true lifespan of great white sharks is far longer; now estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fish currently known. Great white sharks can accelerate to speeds that exceed 56 km/h (35 mph).

DESIGN: The reverse portrays a chilling coloured image of the gaping jaws and conical snout of a Great White Shark.

Found throughout Australia, including urban areas, they like to hide in dry, sheltered places such as garden sheds, mailboxes and famously, under toilet seats. Around 2000 people are reportedly bitten each year, about 1 in 8 receiving antivenom, and no fatalities have been recorded since the availability of antivenom in the 1950s.

The bigger female is 1cm long and is recognisable by the red stripe on its back that gives the spider its name. Their venom affects the nervous system, but small fangs make many of the bites ineffective. A bite is extremely painful and can remain so for days in many cases.

DESIGN: Striking black and red colouring on the reverse design brings this little devil in to sharp focus on the coin’s brilliant mirror-like background.