Gold Half Ounce 1989 Australian Nugget - Hand of Faith, Coin from Australia - detailed information

The Australian half-ounce gold piece (abbreviated as 1/2 oz and designated with Au for "gold") is a bullion coin format. Uniquely, in Australia there are two mints 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.

This gold bullion coin is part of The Australian Nugget bullion series, and features the Hand of Faith natural gold nugget.

The Hand of Faith is a nugget of fine-quality gold which was found by metal detectorist near Kingower, Victoria, Australia on 26 September 1980. Weighing 875 troy ounces (27.21 kg, or 72 troy pounds and 11 troy ounces), the gold nugget was only 12 inches below the surface, resting in a vertical position. The nugget was the second largest nugget found in Australia during the 20th century; there were numerous nuggets found during the Victorian gold rush era, commencing in the 1850s, that were far larger. It was sold to the Golden Nugget Casino Chain for over a million dollars.

The Hand of Faith is currently on public display at Golden Nugget Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Replicas of the nugget are on display at a number of other Golden Nugget casinos.