The Australian two ounces gold piece (abbreviated as 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 coin is part of the long-running Australian Kangaroo bullion coin series by the Perth Mint.
The mint says about it: Australia’s most famous marsupial, the kangaroo has appeared on The Perth Mint’s signature coin series since 1990. Featuring superbly observed portrayals of the iconic animal, the Australian Kangaroo Coin Series has a reputation for quality, purity and design that extends around the globe.
Struck on a thicker blank, high relief coins portray a plumped up design, which on this remarkable piece is a large kangaroo about to leap over a parched creek bed. |