Silver Coins | The Australian Kookaburra

In 1990 the Australian Perth Mint firstly minted a 1 ounce silver coin with a nominal value of 5 Australian dollars (5A$), however, the nominal value was reduced to 1 Australian dollar (1A$) in the year 1992.
The chosen animal motive was the Australian “Kookaburra” bird.
With 300.000 copies, the “Kookaburra – laughing Hans on a tree branch” was the ounce to break the first ground, one year later followed by the “Kookaburra on a branch” ounce, and again one year later followed by the “Laughing Kookaburra” ounce.
On the backside of the coin there’s the portrait of the English Queen Elizabeth II with the nominal value (just like on the Canadian Maple leaf).
Generally the portrait remains the same, even though it is modified every couple of years and adapted to the Queens current outward appearance.

In the second year of minting (1991) the 2 and the 10 ounces coins as well as the 1kg denominations firstly appeared worldwide. Contrary to the 1 ounce coin the motive didn’t change until the 3rd edition (“Kookaburra with lizard”) and is identical to the one ounce version since then. In due consideration of the reduction of the nominal value from 1992, the first edition uniquely appeared with higher nominal values (2 oz = 10 A$, 10 oz = 50 A$, 1 kg = 150 A$).
Denominations smaller then 1 ounce aren’t produced in silver.

With every new edition, the motive and the package of the silver ounces became even more refined, and that is why one can easily say that this silver asset is one of the most beautiful in the world.
Especially the 1kg coin is a real eye catcher.
Occasionally exclusive coinings were minted due to national and international happenings, by adding a little special character on the Kookaburra side.
The counterpart in platinum is the Koala, in palladium the emu and in gold, the nugget, respectively the kangaroo.

Also read about other silver coins: American Silver Eagle , Canadian Maple Leaf , Chinese Panda, Australian Koala , Austrian Philharmonic Coin