The Royal Australian Mint debuts its latest Seasons Change Kangaroo coin in two finishes for 2017.

Well into its third decade of release, the Royal Australian Mint’s (RAM) Kangaroo Series of silver coins has long become a perennial fixture in the numismatic calendar. Over that time we’ve seen a multitude of kangaroo poses to the point where the mint now regularly designs the coins into small, tight themed series to help differentiate them. This one is the second of four in the Seasons Change sub-set.

This set is meant to depict the stages in the life of the kangaroo and the effect the four seasons have on this almost unbelievably iconic animal, the mere presence of which signifies Australia wherever you are in the world. Last years coin featured the winter season and depicted winter. Designed by Stevan Stojanovic who has again done the honours this year, we liked the design, especially in proof form.

The 2017 coin is more of the same realistic art style and if you liked the first one, we think you’ll like this one as well. I’d like to see the kangaroo feet slightly buried in the grass so as to ‘ground’ the animals better, but the pose is quite natural and this seems to be a difficult animal to do well on a coin. All in all, a fine effort. The proof looks better than the frosted version again, in our view at least, as the finish can be a little overpowering on a more detailed design like here. The packaging is better and the mintage is half as much as well. Downside is the cost is 25% higher at €100 instead of $80 (AUD), so the choice is good to have.

Both versions are struck in an ounce of fine silver, carry the same design (including the Ian Rank Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse) and are the same diameter. Available to order now, international buyers don’t have to pay the Aussie sales tax of 8% if you order from the mint.