Australian Silver Kangaroo coins are beautiful, recognized silver bullion coins minted by the Royal Australian Mint, and are issued each year. When the Royal Australian Mint was established in 1960, the intent was for minting practical coinage for currency use only. Eventually, the Australian government saw the value in expanding to collectable cullion coins they would offer for sale directly to the public.
History and Design
The first Australian Silver Kangaroo coins were minted in 1993, and were adorned on the reverse by Australia’s recognizable kangaroo. The kangaroo is only found naturally in Australia and is a living symbol of Australian culture. The Royal Australian Mint decided to follow suit in producing these coins as they observed the United States Mint create the American Eagle coins, Canada producing its Maple Leaf coin, and China minting the Chinese Panda bullion coin.
The reverse of the 1993 Australian Silver Kangaroo bullion coin features a kangaroo standing on its powerful hind legs, while the front of the coin carries a shoulder shot design of Queen Elizabeth II facing to the right. This front artwork has not been changed since the first coins were minted in 1993. The detailed rendition of Queen Elizabeth was created by artist Raphael Maklouf.
All Australian Silver Kangaroo bullion coins have the inscriptions Elizabeth II and Australia with the mint year. The edge of these silver bullion coins is the same as American quarters, with a reeded edge. The Australian Silver Kangaroo coin carries a face value of $1.00 AUD and is made with 99.9% pure silver. Each coin weighs one troy ounce.
The famed kangaroo design has offered many an artist the opportunity to create differing portrayals of the country’s icon. Some of the designs offer up the kangaroo in a half-stylized and half-realistic rendition, with its hind legs propelling it off the ground, or a silhouette of a kangaroo against the flat horizon and setting sun typical of Australia, and the specialized release of the Gilded Australian Silver Kangaroo bullion coin with the kangaroo embellished in gold. Each year the design is intriguing with artwork that is purely traditional and features naturalistic images of one or several kangaroos, or other designs that are quirky and contemporary.
Production and Value
Australian Silver Kangaroo bullion coins are minted with the intent of collectability and they are minted as uncirculated coins with a frosted finish and proof coins. Some of the years, the frosted finish was substituted for the gilded gold kangaroo.
Although the face value of these coins is $1.00, the intrinsic and artistic qualitative value prices these coins far above the spot price of silver at the time of sale. The success of the Australian Silver Kangaroo bullion coins provides the government in Australia with a steady income and there is no indication the Royal Australian Mint would reduce, limit, or cease production of the highly sought after coins.
With the availability of silver holding steady and the fervor of coin collectors all over the world, the Australian Silver Kangaroo bullion coins will be minted long into the future.