Silver Ounce 2018 Endangered and Extinct - Powerful Owl, Coin from Tuvalu - detailed information

The obverse of the coin shows the crowned mature head of Queen Elizabeth II facing right (her effigy known as the "Fourth Portrait"). The Queen wears the "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" diamond tiara, a wedding gift from Queen Mary (Her Majesty's grandmother) in 1947 - which she also has on the Machin and the Gottwald portraits.

In small letters below the head, the artist's initials IRB (for Ian Rank-Broadley).

Around the effigy is the monarch's legend, the date of issue and the value: QUEEN ELIZABETH II 1 oz 9999 SILVER 2018 TUVALU 1 DOLLAR.

The inscription around the rim also incorporates the precious metal content, meaning one troy ounce of 99.99% silver.

The reverse of the coin is coloured and depicts a Powerful Owl with a smaller owl flying in the background.

On two lines below, the inscription POWERFUL OWL.

Finish: proof, coloured.
Packaging: in a black presentation case and illustrated shipper, with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
Perth Mint SKU: 18C89AAA
Issue price: AU$ 109.00, US$ 77.98

This is the last silver coin in the series, and the last issued for Tuvalu. The series continues in gold, issued for Niue.

The Perth Mint calls the earlier coins in the series a "Commissioned product - Struck by The Perth Mint" with no further information on who commissioned it; uncharacteristically (probably reflecting this fact), there is no mint mark on the coins either. There is no available primary information on this series; it seems that the coins are commissioned by Australian company Downies, with the silver coins being struck by the Perth Mint and the corresponding gold coins by PAMP.