Australia Quarter Sovereign 2024 - Perth Mint's 125 Anniversary, Coin from Australia - detailed information

Australia is one of the large issuers of bullion coins. Uniquely, there are two independent mints in the country authorised to strike legal tender: the Royal Australian Mint (which also makes the country's circulating coinage) and the Perth Mint which only makes collector and bullion coins, as well as other bullion products.

Both mints endeavour to create coins with attractive designs, and to introduce new designs and themes often, in order to raise the numismatic value of the coins over the value of previous metal used. Their issues are normally in standard sizes (mostly based on the troy ounce), but sometimes they also issue coins in non-standard formats, such as this one.

This special edition Australia Sovereign was issued to mark the 125th anniversary of the Perth Mint. The coin is the first in the "quarter sovereign" format released by the Perth Mint.

Its reverse design features the legend of Saint George slaying the dragon - a reference to the design which has been displayed on British sovereign coins since 1817. The Perth Mint is deeply linked to it - it was founded as a branch of the Royal Mint in 1899 with its only initial task to strike British sovereigns in Australia near the source of the gold; its very first production was a sovereign coin with a Saint George and Dragon reverse.

The mint says about the release:
Production of traditional sovereigns from Western Australian gold was the lifeblood of The Perth Mint in the years up to 1931. One hundred and six million pieces were struck, each bearing Benedetto Pistrucci’s classical St George and the Dragon design and a "P" mintmark.