I am lurking HARD these days, but do have a coin to share today.
This dandy, .9999 pure silver coin is another product of Australia’s famous Perth Mint. The coin weighs one Troy ounce and has a face value of $1 AUD. However, at today’s spot price, the silver value of this coin is $24.75 USD/$34.78 AUD. There is a lesson here.
Back to the coin, this beauty is the third in a series of Australian bullion coins celebrating the emu. The mintage is limited to just 30,000, which hopefully means there will be some collectibility value to this piece in the future. The obverse of the coin features an image of Queen Elizabeth II.
The emu (pronounced E-mew, not E-Moo as my Aussie husband accuses Americans of saying) is the world’s second tallest bird. They are found across the Australian continent, in bush lands, pastures, mountains and the tropics. Some smaller zoos allow the birds to free roam despite their large size. From personal experience, I can tell you coming eye to eye with a human sized bird who is after your “snacks” seagull style is terrifying!
The emu, along with the red kangaroo, is one of two animals featured on the Australian coat of arms. Between them they hold a shield depicting the flags of each Australian state. As neither creature can easily move backwards, their inclusion on the coat of arms is said to symbolize progress and the forward motion of the nation.
Emu are fairly common across the continent, but they aren’t a bird you see often in the wild. However, I do have one wild emu experience! In 2003, my parents visited while I was living in Canberra, Australia. My husband and I took mom and dad to Kosciuszko National Park. Mt. Kosciuszko, within the park, is the country’s highest peak. As we were driving down a winding alpine road, we came around a corner. There in the middle of the road was a FLOCK of emu! Seeing one or two in the wild is rare, but seeing a FLOCK is even more rare. It was crazy watching these 5-6 foot tall birds just meandering across the motorway, but what a sight!
Other coins in the emu series can be seen HERE. or at your preferred bullion dealer.
