The Australian one kilo silver piece (abbreviated as 1 kg and designated with Ag for "silver") is a bullion coin format. Uniquely, in Australia there are two mints independently 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.
The Australian Koala series by the Perth Mint comes in several sizes and compositions: 1 kg silver, 5 oz silver, 1 oz silver numismatic (proof, high relief) and 1 oz silver bullion.
The reverse design changes every year, always featuring a koala - one of the most famous and distinctive animals native to Australia. The silver kilo coins have a face value of 30 dollars, but this is only symbolic - as the bullion value of their precious metal content is much higher. The coins were .999 fine silver until the 2018 edition, which increased in purity to .9999 silver. The overall weight is slightly more than 1 kg, so that the pure silver content is exactly 1,000 grams (equal to ASW 32.151 troy ounces).
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Reverse | |
The coin's reverse depicts an adult koala resting on a gum tree branch, with her baby next to her.
Above right, the P mint mark of the Perth Mint; on the branch next to it are the designer's initials EM, for Elise Martinson.
Around above, the name of the coin series: AUSTRALIAN KOALA.
Around below, the year of issue and the precious metal content: 2011 1 KILO 999 SILVER (one kilogram of of 99.9% silver). |
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