Gold Ounce 2022 Great Barrier Reef, Coin from Australia - detailed information

The Australian one-ounce gold piece (abbreviated as 1 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.

The Great Barrier Reef is the first release in the Beauty, Rich & Rare series by the Royal Australian Mint, highlighting the natural beauty of Australia. The coin is coloured and has an innovative domed shape.

Covering a length of over 2,000 km and an area of 347,000 sq km, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem on Earth. The famous landmark of the Red Continent is located along the northeast coast of Australia and is composed of nearly 3,000 individual reefs. Due to its impressive size, it is visible to the naked eye from space. The fragile ecosystem is home to about 1,600 species of fish, 1,500 species of sponges, 5,000 species of molluscs, 800 species of starfish and echinoderms, 500 species of kelp and more than 200 species of birds. The Great Barrier Reef also provides a habitat for rare species of whales, dolphins and turtles. UNESCO declared the species-rich reef system a World Heritage Site on October 26, 1981. As the continued existence of the largest reef structure created by living creatures is severely threatened by various factors - including tourism, water pollution and climatic changes - the Australian government has initiated measures to protect the Great Barrier Reef - also to prevent it from being classified by UNESCO as an "endangered world heritage site". Environmentalists agree, however, that the aid packages are coming too late and that the condition of the reef system will deteriorate dramatically in the coming decades.