The Silver Koala Bear is a silver coin originating from Australia and produced at the Perth Mint. While the obverse of the coin always depicts Queen Elizabeth II of Australia, the reverse side changes every year, always featuring a koala, a marsupial native to Australia.
The mint updates the monarch's portrait on obverse of the coin periodically. For example, Queen Elizabeth II has six portraits made in the course of her reign. However, only the fourth and sixth portraits were used on silver koalas.
Silver koalas have higher collectible value than some other bullion coins due to the yearly design change and limited production. The coins are minted yearly in up to five different sizes.
Specifications
Specifications Weight(troy oz) Weight(grams) Face Value Diameter(mm) Thickness†(mm) 1,002.5 AU$30 100.6 14.6 10 312.35 AU$10 75.6 8.7 1 31.14 AU$1 40.6 4 15.6 50 cents 36.6 2.3 3.135 10 cents 20.6 2
† This is the maximum thickness. Thicknesses are different based upon the yearly design of the reverse side.
History
In its first year of 2007, only the one-ounce bullion coin was minted. All other sizes were minted in 2008, except for the oz, which started to be produced in 2011. Between 2008 and 2010, the only numismatic or proof coinage minted was the one-ounce with gilded koalas. As of 2020, bullion coins are currently released in 1 kg and 1 oz sizes and the numismatic coinage is minted in 5 oz and 1 oz sizes, with other sizes released occasionally. The coins were .999 fine silver until the 2018 edition, which increased in purity to .9999 silver. Perth Mint originally had no caps on the amount of one-ounce coins produced, but since 2018, it has been capped to 300,000.
Special editions such as privy marked, colored and gilded are often available.
+ Mintages forone-ounce bullion coins Year Standard Privy marks 2007 137,768 - - 2008 84,057 Fabulous 12 5,000 2009 336,757 - - 2010 233,531 - - 2011 910,480 Berlin bear 48,920 2012 388,046 32,361 2013 477,209 Chinese lettering 10,392 2014 334,884 8,397 2015 450,899 - - 2016 300,000 - - 2017 Kangaroo 40,636 Rooster 24,940 2018 166,434 Dog 9,200 2019 Pig + Mintages for proof coins Year 1 oz 5 oz 1 kg 2007 - - - 2008 8,361 (Gilded) - - 2009 5,085 (Gilded) - - 2010 4,842 (Gilded) - - 2011 4,818 (Gilded) 5,000 - 2012 4,466 (Gilded) 4,178 471 9,302 (High relief) 2013 4,844 (Gilded) 5,000 333 8,796 (High relief) 2014 3,040 (Gilded) 367 500 1,211 (High relief) 2,092 (Colored) 2015 2,186 (Gilded) 1,033 417 3,791 (High relief) 2016 2,241 (High relief) 952 143 2017 1,730 (High relief) 398 157 2018 135 (High relief) 231 -
See also Australian Silver Kangaroo (bullion) Australian Silver Kookaburra Bullion Bullion coin Inflation hedge Platinum Koala Silver as an investment
References General 2020 Standard Catalog of World Coins - 1901–2000, 47th Edition, publication date 2019, Krause Publications, 2020 Standard Catalog of World Coins - 2001–Date, 14th Edition, publication date 2019, Krause Publications,
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