The continent-spanning Trans-Australian Railway’s centenary is commemorated on new gold and silver coins.

When you get a continent as large as Australia, getting across it is never going to be easy. When that continent isn’t the most hospitable place on earth, with only the coastal regions having significant population centres, the problem multiplies. A century ago, when mass transit by air was little more than a pipe dream, the only way to solve the problem in a practical way was the laying of railway tracks. Australia did just that.

Legislation was passed by the fledgling government instructing the route from Port Augusta in Southern Australia, through to Kalgoorlie (a gold-mining centre), east of Perth, be surveyed. Two years later the survey was complete and two years after that, construction was authorised. With work commencing in September 1912, the two ends met for completion on 17 October 1917. When complete, the line stretched for an epic 1692.6 kilometres (1051.73 miles). To bring home the inhospitable nature of much of the Australian interior, at no time over its length does the track cross a permanent fresh watercourse. It includes a dead-straight run of track with a world-record length of 478 kilometres (297 miles). It is said to be just about visible from space, primarily because of its unnatural straightness.

The Royal Australian Mint has issued a pair of coins, one in gold and one in silver, both carrying the same design. We love the look of this one despite trains being of little interest here. A very stylish design incorporating all the elements of the subject has come together very well indeed. We can easily see this one being very popular with the train crowd. The obverse is Australia’s usual Ian Rank Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.

The gold is limited to 1,000 pieces, not a huge amount for a 1/10 oz coin and sells for A$272.73 ($300 for Australian buyers). The silver is just a third of an ounce. We’d much rather see this at an ounce in weight with a 40 mm diameter. The 25 mm diameter of this one is a missed opportunity with such a good design, especially one incorporating such fine detail. The silver is A$45.45 (A$50.00) with a mintage of 4,500 pieces. Both variants are nicely boxed and come with a certificate of authenticity. Available now.