Today's featured coin is the 1oz Silver 2017 Australian Kookaburra coin struck by The Perth Mint. This coin depicts an adult and a juvenile Kookaburra sitting on a wooden fence. This post will cover the general details about the 2017 Australian Kookaburra coin design type and sizes, but I will also discuss a unique Kookaburra coin set that was released in 2017 by The Perth Mint in collaboration with APMEX.
Bullion Mintage
The maximum mintage of the 1oz Silver 2017 Australian Kookaburra bullion coin was 500,000 and the declared mintage was 406,265. The coin was issued as legal tender under the authority of Australia with a denomination of one dollar. The other bullion coin sizes issued in 2017 were the 10oz and the 1kg coins. The table below shows the maximum mintage and declared mintage totals.
| Year | Denomination | Description | Maximum Mintage | Declared Mintage |
| 2017 | $30 | 1kg Bullion Kookaburra Coin 2017 | unlimited | 10,936 |
| 2017 | $10 | 10oz Bullion Kookaburra Coin 2017 | unlimited | 16,713 |
| 2017 | $1 | 1oz Bullion Kookaburra Coin 2017 | 500,000 | 406,265 |
Coin Purity
From the year 1990 until the 2018 edition the coins were .999 fine silver, the recent editions of the coins have increased their purity to .9999 silver.
Coin Details
| Mint/Brand: | The Perth Mint |
| Silver Content: | 1 Troy Ounce |
| Purity: | .999 Fine Silver |
| Denomination: | $1 (Australian) |
| Year of Issue: | 2017 |
| Edge: | Milled |
| Weight: | 31.135g |
| Diameter: | 40.60mm |
| Thickness: | 2.98mm |
| Maximum Mintage: | 500,000 |
| Declared Mintage: | 406,265 |
Design
Bullion Coin
The reverse of the coin depicts an adult and a juvenile Kookaburra sitting on a wooden fence. The detail of the Kookaburra feathers and the wooden fence really bring this design to life. The design includes an inscription 'Australian Kookaburra', the 'P' mintmark, and the year 2017.
The obverse of the coin portrays the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the denomination of Australian 1 Dollar.
Privy Coin
The reverse of the coin for the privy design depicts the same 2017 adult and a juvenile Kookaburra sitting on a wooden fence, with the addition of the Lunar Rooster privy mark to the right of the adult Kookaburra. The design includes an inscription 'Australian Kookaburra', the 'P' mintmark, and the year 2017.
The obverse of the coin portrays the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the denomination of Australian 1 Dollar.
Privy Overload
The year 2017 is the year of privy coin design overload. I have found at least four different privy mark versions of the 2017 Australian Kookaburra.
- Lunar Rooster Privy
- Shark Privy
- Panda Privy
- F15 Privy
Two Coin Set
The mintage of Two Coin Set was very limited with just 1,000 sets issued. The Two Coin Sets are very hard to find and extremely sought after. The 2017 Proof version of the Kookaburra was only available in the Two Coin Set.
I am a huge fan of the Proof version of coins, especially when they are only available in such a limited quantity, within such a beautifully presented coin set. I will definitely keep my eyes open for this set and if I can find it for the right price, I will add it to my 'silver collection'. Basically the special silver pieces that I do not intend to sell.
The Two Coin Set was actually a collaboration between The Perth Mint and APMEX. APMEX is one of the largest Precious Metals dealers in the world. The 2017 Two Coin Set was presented in a custom wooden box, a green illustrated outer box with a kookaburra and an accompanying certificate of authenticity.
Coin Purchase Quantity
The Australian Kookaburra 1oz coins are sold as single coins, in sealed rolls of twenty 1oz coins or you can purchase a 100oz box that includes five sealed rolls of twenty 1oz coins. The advantage of buying in higher quantities is that the bullion dealers offer volume breaks or discounts the more coins you buy.
Coin Display
There are many options on how best to store and display your Australian Kookaburra 1oz coin collection. One great option is to purchase a purpose built presentation box. There are different varieties out there, but the one in the photo below holds up to twenty 1oz Silver Kookaburra coins. The black velour-lined tray is designed to fit 1oz Silver Kookaburra coins in their original mint capsules.
Coin Protection
Each 1oz Silver Kookaburra coin is stored in their original mint plastic capsules. It is highly recommended that you keep your silver bullion coins in their capsules to prevent tarnishing of the coin. If the original plastic capsule gets scratched, damaged or cracks, you can buy new plastic capsules from your trusted bullion dealer.
When handling your 1oz Silver Kookaburra coins, for extra protection use a pair of cotton gloves. Cotton gloves protect your silver coins from oils in your fingers that may cause discoloration, damaging the finish of the coin. I have formed the habit to use cotton gloves even when I am handling silver coins in their plastic capsules.
Post authored by @strenue
