In Stock and Ready for Immediate Shipment!

Long SOLD OUT at the Perth Mint!

Roman legions, composed of the battle-hardened legionary, created the greatest empire the world had ever known!

Talisman Coins and the Perth Mint are excited to announce the first release in the exciting new Great Warriors series! The Roman legionnaire's reputation has stood the test of time. Able to make good time by the Roman's network of superior roads, the legionnaires expanded the empire, which at its height under the Emperor Trajan in 117 A.D. stretched from Scotland in the north to Persia in the East! Following on the heels of the phenomenally successful and popular Famous Battles of History and Famous Naval Battles programs, we expect the new Great Warriors series to likewise sell out in short order. Our advice - get these colorful, one ounce,  proofs while you can!

The Cornerstone of Empire
Anyone who has studied military history knows that (with all due respect to naval historian and theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan) wars are won and lost by boots on the ground. No one understood this better than the Romans, who seemingly effortlessly conquered the entire Mediterranean basin and beyond with little use for (or help from) a navy. Instead, they dealt death to their enemies with one of the most fearsome infantry formations the world has ever seen - the Roman legion.

The Roman legion (from the Latin legio, meaning "military levy, conscription," from legere, "to choose") refers to the heavy infantry that was the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army in the period of the late Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. A legion consisted of several cohorts of heavy infantry known as legionaries or legionnaires. It was almost always accompanied by one or more attached units of auxiliaries, who were not Roman citizens and provided cavalry, ranged troops and skirmishers to complement the legion's heavy infantry.

The size of a typical legion varied widely throughout the history of ancient Rome, with complements of 4,200 legionaries and 300 equites in the republican period of Rome to 5,200 men plus auxiliaries in the imperial period.

Legions were created, used, and disbanded time and again throughout the history of the Roman Empire. Several hundred legions were named and numbered during this period; to date, about fifty have been identified. In the time of the Early Roman Empire, there were usually about 25 to 35 standing legions plus their auxiliaries, with more raised as needed.

The Roman Legionary
Tough, courageous and highly-disciplined infantry soldiers, professional legionaries formed the backbone of the Roman army, a formidable fighting force that conquered and controlled Rome’s vast Empire. Rome made sure that her troops were equipped with staunch weaponry and armor.

The legionary on the coin is depicted with the standard equipment of the early Empire period. He is dressed in a galea, a metal helmet with cheek guards, and a cuirass, body armor comprising overlapping iron plates or scales, known as lorica segmentata. The legionary is also wearing an apron of leather strips featuring metal plates hanging from his belt, and caligae, leather sandals with iron hobnails.

The principle weapon of the legionnaire was the gladius, or short broad sword, which was protected in a scabbard or sheath. Using this heavy iron weapon, ranks of legionaries could cut a swath through opposing formations; it was the ideal weapon for a foot soldier engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Roman infantry also carried a pugio or broad-bladed dagger as a sidearm or backup weapon. For defense in melee combat and from ranged weapons such as arrows, the legionnaire carried a  rectangular, semi-cylindrical body shield known as a scutum.

After the auxiliaries had launched their missile attacks (arrows) and the cavalry had harassed the flanks of the enemy formations (both to soften up and demoralize the enemy), the legionaries themselves would attack. A basic tactic was for the Roman infantry to advance in lockstep at a measured pace, holding their shields forward for maximum protection while thrusting and stabbing forward with the gladius. Against the disciplined rigor of the Roman legions, few barbarians could stand long without breaking formation and retreating.

The Roman Legionary Warrior is the first in the new and exciting Great Warriors series, to be released by the Perth Mint. Coins commemorating the following soldiers are:

    Roman Legionary
    Viking Norseman
    Medieval Knight
    Japanese Samurai

Please see the presentation lower on this page for more information about Tuvalu and its association with Australia.

Technology Note
The Perth Mint of Australia employs its own proprietary colorization technology, in which the color is actually sealed on the coin. The vibrant hues and precise execution of the technology create a stunning, full-color portrait on each coin.

Obverse
A full color portrait of a Roman Legionary, heavily armed with his gladius (short broadsword) in his right hand and his scutum (cylindrical shield) in his left. The solider stands in front of a portico comprised of Ionic order columns. The legend reads ROMAN LEGIONARY.

Reverse
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, in crowned profile facing right. This portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl drop earrings, was executed by the sculptor Raphael Maklouf. The legend QUEEN ELIZABETH II, the date of issue and denomination also appear.

Packaging
The coin is encapsulated inside a taupe brown leatherette, clamshell-style presentation case, lined with black velvet and satin, and protected by a full-color outer box. An individually-numbered certificate of authenticity is included.

The Island Nation of Tuvalu

Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbors are Kiribati, Samoa and Fiji. It is comprised of four reef islands and five true atolls. Its population of 11,992 makes it the third-least populated independent country in the world, with only Vatican City and Nauru having fewer inhabitants. It is also the second-smallest member by population of the United Nations. In terms of physical land size, at just 10 square miles Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world, larger only than the Vatican City, Monaco and Nauru.

The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesian people, who arrived about 3000 years go. The islands came under Great Britain's sphere of influence in the late 19th century. The Ellice Islands were administered by Britain as part of a protectorate from 1892 to 1916 and as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony from 1916 to 1974. In 1974 the Ellice Islanders voted for separate British dependency status as Tuvalu, separating from the Gilbert Islands which became Kiribati upon independence. Tuvalu became fully independent within The Commonwealth in 1978. with Queen Elizabeth II as titular head of state.

Because Tuvalu has few natural resources it has been dependent in recent years upon aid from larger, more developed nations, including Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The Perth Mint of Australia is officially commissioned by the government of Tuvalu to produce legal tender coinage for the island nation.