The Perth Mint is the oldest of Australia’s two currently active mints, producing high quality coins and bullion since 1899. It was originally founded to refine the abundant minerals the British empire located in Australia, but has since come under the control of the Australian government for which it makes currency on a year-round basis.
With ample gold and silver to draw from, and high quality production techniques and security features in place, the Perth Mint has become renowned around the world for the consistent purity of its products. The mint is also known for its accuracy in measuring coins to their exact prescribed weight – and for making the biggest gold coin the world in October 2011, weighing in at 2,231 pounds and valued at more than $50 million.
Fortunately for all of us, the Perth Mint makes more affordable gold, silver, and platinum products for collectors, investors, and stackers alike, including many unique signature pieces.
Gold and Silver Coins
Among the collection of unusual and high quality coins offered by the Perth Mint are their florin coins, which were originally produced in 2021 after being modeled on the 1344 version issued by England's King Edward III. Valued at two shillings, florins were widely carried in England for 600 years. The Perth Mint is now producing a variety of florins (featuring an emu and a kangaroo holding up the Australian national coat of arms) in silver and gold for the collector with a yen for history.
Other popular coins include the signature rectangular dragon coin, which is always hard to stop from flying off the shelf! With it’s unusual shape, the coin is favored some stackers, while others just can’t get enough of the dynamic energy captured by the elegant dragon design.
Australian Animals Series Coins
The Perth Mint’s most popular series of coins tends to be the one featuring Australian animals. After all, who doesn’t love a koala? The silver kookaburra was the first of Australia’s native species to be featured on a coin, followed by the aforementioned koala and then the kangaroo. From there, the mint’s gone wild with making beautiful depictions of their marine species, culminating in a full series that’s as much nature-based art as it is precious metal.
This particular series is highly sought by collectors who are looking to maintain or complete sets of animal-centric coins from around the world (or Australia specifically). The Perth Mint’s legacy of quality and purity combine here with its artistic panache to create some truly exquisite pieces.
Lunar Series Coins
Collectors around the world eagerly await the release each year of the Perth Mint’s Lunar Series coins, each of which features a characteristically stunning depiction of the animal associated with the Chinese Lunar Year. Sometimes these gold and silver coins come in special versions that are antiqued or colorized, all of which are limited runs – making them a hot purchase for those who are looking to add that bit of extra pizzazz to their display room.
Gold and Silver Bars
The Perth Mint also manufactures gold and silver bars for those interested in purchasing precious metals in bullion form. The bars are made in sizes starting at 5 grams and continuing to 10 grams, 20 grams, 1 ounce, and 10 ounces. Each bar, regardless of its size, has a unique serial number for authenticity.
Gold bars from the Perth Mint are characteristically marked with a swan imprint, and sometimes a kangaroo for double security.
