I think few would disagree with the observation that the last few years has seen a virtual explosion in new bullion coin releases. Whereas we used to have a base of big guns, like the American Eagle and the Maple Leaf, and a scattering of smaller mintage coins (Somali Elephant, Rwandan African Ounce, etc), we now have a huge selection of low mintage issues, often with attractive, annually changing designs.

It’s arguably the Perth Mint that laid the groundwork, with its combination of highish mintage, but annually revised bullion coin ranges, like the Koala’s and the Lunars, but starting around 2013, there was an increased level of experimentation in shorter series. These were typically exclusive to specific distributors, rather than being sold by the mint itself. Today, along with the Scottsdale Mint, the Perth Mint has an expansive selection to entice collectors and stackers alike, and keeping track of it all is increasingly difficult. Hence, this guide.

What we have below is a round-up of, I think, all the main bullion coin releases outside the mints ‘core’ ranges, that have appeared since we came online in 2013, coincidentally when this type of coin started to rise in popularity. It isn’t a full in-depth look at everything like our Profiles, but over two pages, we’ve broken down each series with full 1200px images, the specs, date range of issue (a * means ongoing), and the distributor. We will, of course, keep this updated as we do our other guides.

It’s a hugely varied offering, from the mints iconic animal designs, through popular culture, and on to mythology and history. The Perth Mint has a solid reputation and immense popularity, so I hope this guide is useful and informative. It might not seem like it, but there’s a huge amount of work invested in articles like this, through research, collation, image editing, layouts, etc., so please leave feedback below to let me know if the effort is worthwhile, and it’s something of use. AgAuNEWS is a one-man band, so targeting time on the right things is crucial for my sanity. Thanks. Enjoy.