This listing is for a full
and original mint
roll of 20 Pure Silver Koala coins! In Stock and Ready for Immediate Shipment!
Get a FULL ROLL of this scarce,
pure silver beauty, featuring an adventurous koala climbing up to his
lookout in the fork of an eucalyptus tree!
The
koala
bear
is
one
of the iconic symbols of Australia, made all
the more desirable by the Perth Mint's execution of this cute and
cuddly critter in
pure
silver,
artistically rendered in a reverse proof
finish, in which the design or devices are mirrored. This year, an
adventurous koala climbs up to his lookout in the fork of an eucalyptus
tree that forms its native habitat, safely out of reach
of roving predators.
This
beautiful coin is part of the highly collectible series
of
Pure
Silver Koalas. The obverse design of this series,
with
the koala bear, changes each year, further enhancing its
collectibility.
The
reverse features a portrait of
Queen
Elizabeth II of the British
Commonwealth, of which Australia is a member.
The Pure Silver Koala
has a face value of
one
half dollar and can be difficult to locate, much
less in pristine condition, so
we advise you to acquire one when you find them.
A Most Unusual and
Surprising Bear!
Despite its appearance, the koala bear isn't really a bear at all, but
rather a marsupial. Nonetheless it fascinates us because it's so darn
cute - it looks like a living teddy bear! Appearances can be deceiving
here, too, because koalas aren't cuddly, either. They are arboreal
(tree-dwelling), so they have very strong, sharp claws for
climbing (and their bite can cause injury, as well).
Koala bears live
nearly their entire lives in the eucalyptus (gum)
tree, where they feed almost exclusively on its leaves. They have a
very low metabolism for a mammal, so they spend up to 20 hours
a day
resting and sleeping (and the rest mostly eating). Eucalypt leaves are
high in toxic chemicals such as phenols and terpenes, which only the
koala has adapted to deal with - the toxins are neutralized in its
specialized liver.
Marsupials are unusual, and, many scientists believe, more primitive,
mammals. Their best-known characteristic is the pouch for their young,
and the koala is no exception. The babies, called joeys, are only a
quarter-inch long when born, and enter the world hairless, blind and
earless, so the safety of mother koala's pouch is a necessity for its
first six months of life. For its second half-year the joey will
generally ride on mom's back.
Koala Fun
Facts
You'd think that it couldn't get any more odd than a living stuffed
animal that spends its entire life in, and only eats the leaves of, one
kind of tree. If so, you'd be wrong - koalas are among Nature's most
unusual and unique creatures. Here's a couple of other oddities about
these fascinating fur balls.
Koalas are often thought to be silent, and they are most of the time,
but males have a very loud mating call that can be heard for a distance
of about one kilometer away during the breeding season! When
attacked, koalas may issue a loud cry, which is often likened to that
of a human baby.
The koala bear is one of the few mammals (other than primates) that has
fingerprints. Koala fingerprints are remarkably similar to human
fingerprints - even when viewed with an electron microscope, it can be
quite difficult for an expert to distinguish between the two!
ObverseAn adventurous koala climbs up to his lookout in the fork of an
eucalyptus tree that forms its native habitat. The Perth Mint
"P" mint
mark
is judiciously located to the right of the tree trunk, near the 4:00
position
near the rim. The legend 1/2 OZ 999
SILVER
guarantees the weight and purity. The legend AUSTRALIAN KOALA and the
date are also indicated.
Reverse
Her Majesty,
Queen
Elizabeth II, in crowned profile facing
right. This portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl
earrings, was executed by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. The
legend ELIZABETH II and denomination also appear.
Packaging
Each roll of twenty encapsulated Silver Koalas is sealed inside a
clear plastic wrap roll, as issued by the Perth Mint of Australia.
Specifications
Country |
Australia |
Mint |
Perth Mint of Australia |
Year
of Issue |
2013 |
|
|
Face
Value |
10 Dollars
(20 x 50
Cents) |
Weight |
314.60 g
(20 x 15.573
g) |
Diameter |
36.60
mm |
Gauge
(Thickness) |
2.30 mm |
|
|
Finish |
Reverse
Proof |
Composition |
.999
Fine (Pure) Silver |
Edge |
Reeded
(milled, serrated) |
|
|
Artist |
Tom Vaughan (obverse)
Ian Rank-Broadley (reverse) |
Packaging |
Encapsulated |
Copyright © 2020 Talisman World Coins and Medals. All Rights
Reserved.