| Coin | Gold Third-Ounce 2019 Bottlenose Dolphin |
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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 2019 design features the Bottlenose Dolphin.
Bottlenose dolphins are aquatic mammals in the genus Tursiops. They are common, cosmopolitan members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Molecular studies show the genus definitively contains two species: the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus). Bottlenose dolphins inhabit warm and temperate seas worldwide, being found everywhere except for the Arctic and Antarctic Circle regions. Their scientific name derives from the Latin tursio (dolphin) and truncatus for their characteristic truncated teeth. |
| Mint | Perth Mint |
Mint Mark | Letter P |
Total Mintage |
2,884
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse of the coin depicts the crowned old bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Royal Diamond Diadem crown worn for her Coronation (effigy known as the "Fifth Portrait" worldwide but "Sixth Portrait" in Australia, where the Queen's portrait by Vladimir Gottwald was fifth).
The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen mother) in 1937.
Unlike on British coinage, the effigy is "uncouped" (includes the Queen's shoulders). In small letters on the left, the artist's initials JC (for Jody Clark).
Running continuously around the rim is the monarch's legend, the date of issue and the face value: ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1/3oz 9999 Au 2019 30 DOLLARS.
The inscription around the rim also incorporates the precious metal content. "1/3 oz 9999 Au" means "one third of a troy ounce of 99.99% gold" - Au is abbreviated from Aurum, the Latin word for gold. |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse designs shows two bottlenose dolphins jumping above the water.
The Perth Mint's P mint mark is on the left. On the dorsal fin of the dolphin on the left, in tiny letters the initials of the designer, WR, for Wade Robinson.
Around below, the inscription AUSTRALIAN BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
AUSTRALIAN BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: bullion (Brilliant Uncirculated), frosted surfaces. |
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| See also |
Perth Mint coins featuring Australian wildlife issued as US exclusives:
- 1/2 oz Silver, Great White Shark, Australia 2014
- 1/2 oz Silver, Great Hammerhead Shark, Australia 2015
- 1/2 oz Silver, Tiger Shark, Australia 2016
- 1/3 oz Platinum, Emperor Penguin, Australia 2018
- 1/3 oz Platinum, Bottlenose Dolphin, Australia 2019
- 1/3 oz Gold, Bottlenose Dolphin, Australia 2019
- 1 1/2 oz Silver, Bottlenose Dolphin, Australia 2019
- 1/3 oz Platinum, Humpback Whale, Australia 2019
- 1/3 oz Platinum, Australian Striped Marlin, Australia 2020
- 1/4 oz Gold, Australian Striped Marlin, Australia 2020
- 1 1/2 oz Silver, Australian Striped Marlin, Australia 2020
- 1/4 oz Gold, Australian Wildlife, Australia 2020
- 2 oz Silver, Australian Wildlife, Australia 2020
- 1/3 oz Platinum, Australian Platypus, Australia 2021
- 1/4 oz Gold, Australian Platypus, Australia 2021
- 1 1/2 oz Silver, Australian Platypus, Australia 2021
- 1/4 oz Gold, Australian Spotted Eagle Ray, Australia 2021
- 1 1/2 oz Silver, Australian Spotted Eagle Ray, Australia 2021
- 1/4 oz Gold, Australian Wildlife, Australia 2021
- 2 oz Silver, Australian Wildlife, Australia 2021
- 1/4 oz Gold, Australian Wildlife, Australia 2022
- 2 oz Silver, Australian Wildlife, Australia 2022
- 1/2 oz Platinum, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Australia 2022
- 1/4 oz Gold, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Australia 2022
- 1 1/2 oz Silver, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Australia 2022
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