| Coin | Silver Ounce 2006 Red-Back Spider |
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The Tuvaluan Dollar is the currency of Tuvalu - a small nation in the Pacific Ocean. Tuvalu has never had banknotes of its own, and has been issuing coins since 1976; these circulate together with coins of the Australian Dollar, which is also legal tender in the country, and to which the Tuvaluan Dollar is pegged.
The Australian Perth Mint issues a large variety of non-circulating legal tender coins under the authority of Tuvalu. Some of these are in the silver ounce format (abbreviated as 1 oz). Strictly speaking, they are not bullion as they are priced at a premium and are targeted at collectors who appreciate them for their artistic merit and collectable value and not just for their precious metal content.
This is the first coin in the Deadly and Dangerous series featuring native Australian animals, and shows a Red-Back Spider.
The Mint says about it:
"Marking the 50th anniversary of Dr Wiener's discovery, this 2006-dated coin is produced by The Perth Mint from 1oz of 99.9% pure silver in proof quality. Striking black and red colouring on the reverse design brings this little devil in to sharp focus on the coin's brilliant mirror-like background.
Each coin is housed in a high-gloss timber presentation case, which comes in an illustrated outer box." |
| Mint | Perth Mint |
Mint Mark | No mint mark |
Total Mintage | 5,000 |
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| Obverse | |
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The obverse of the coin shows the crowned bust of Queen Elizabeth II, facing right (her effigy known as the "Third Portrait"). The Queen is wearing the royal diadem which she wears on her way to and from the State Opening of Parliament, a pearl necklace and earrings.
Incuse in tiny letters on the neck truncation, the designer's initials RDM (for Raphael David Maklouf).
Around, the monarch's legend and the date: QUEEN ELIZABETH II 1 OZ 999 SILVER TUVALU 2006.
The inscription around the rim also incorporates the precious metal content. "1 OZ 999 SILVER" means "one ounce of 99.9% silver". |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse of the coin is coloured and shows an Australian Red-Back Spider in its web, with three smaller spiders below.
On the left, on two lines the inscription RED-BACK SPIDER. Below right, the face value $1. |
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| Reverse Inscription |
RED-BACK SPIDER $1 |
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| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Finish: proof, coloured.
Packaging: in timber presentation box with illustrated outer shipper, and a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
Perth Mint Item ID: 06J69AAA
Issue price: AU$ 149.00
The mint calls this a "Commissioned Product" with no further information on who commissioned it; uncharacteristically (probably reflecting this fact), there is no mint mark either. There is no available primary information on this series; it seems that the coins are commissioned by the Australian company Downies, with the silver coins being struck by the Perth Mint and the gold coins in the series (some with the same designs) by PAMP or CIT. |
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| See also |
Coins in the Deadly and Dangerous series are issued for a number of counties and include:
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Red-Back Spider 2006
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Great White Shark 2007
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Blue-Ringed Octopus 2008
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Saltwater Crocodile 2009
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Eastern Brown Snake 2010
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Box Jellyfish 2011
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Red-Back Spider (Russian version) 2011
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Great White Shark (Russian version) 2011
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Blue-Ringed Octopus (Russian version) 2011
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Saltwater Crocodile (Russian version) 2011
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Eastern Brown Snake (Russian version) 2011
- 0.5 g Gold, Tokelau, Red-Back Spider 2012
- 0.5 g Gold, Tokelau, Great White Shark 2012
- 0.5 g Gold, Tokelau, Blue-Ringed Octopus 2012
- 0.5 g Gold, Tokelau, Saltwater Crocodile 2012
- 0.5 g Gold, Tokelau, Eastern Brown Snake 2012
- 0.5 g Gold, Tokelau, Box Jellyfish 2012
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Funnel Web Spider 2012
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Yellow-Bellied Sea Snake 2013
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Spider-Hunting Scorpion 2014
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Bull Ant 2015
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Death Adder 2016
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Bull Shark 2017
- 1 oz Gold, Niue, Red-Back Spider 2018
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Dingo 2018
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Lionfish 2019
- 5 oz Gold, Niue, Red-Back Spider 2020
- 5 oz Silver, Niue, Red-Back Spider 2020
- 1 oz Gold, Niue, Tarantula 2020
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Tarantula 2020
- 1 oz Gold, Niue, Stingray 2021
- 1 oz Silver, Tuvalu, Stingray 2021
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