Australia Kookaburra

1) Recognition – Name – Country of Origin
The Australian Silver Kookaburra, the first silver investment coin, was minted in 1990 by the Perth Mint, the oldest operating mint in Australia, located in Perth. The initial face value was five Australian Dollars (AUD), but it was reduced to one Australian Dollar from the 1992 minting onwards. The Silver Kookaburra is produced for investment purposes from pure silver with a fineness of 999/1000.

2) Coin Description
The obverse side features a Kookaburra in the annually changing motif, the world's largest kingfisher and a popular representative of the Australian fauna, native to the eastern and southeastern parts of Australia. Additionally, the inscription "THE AUSTRALIAN KOOKABURRA 1 Oz. 999 Silver" along with the year of mintage is depicted. The reverse side, as seen on all coins of the Commonwealth, features the portrait of the reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, the inscription "ELIZABETH II. AUSTRALIA," and the face value. The coin's edge is finely reeded.

3) Face Value – Legal Tender – Value
The Silver Kookaburra is considered legal tender in Australia. The face value depends on the size and ranges between 1 and 30 Australian Dollars (AUD).

4) Other Units – Denominations
Other units, meaning denominations above one ounce, are produced as follows:

Size	Weight	Fine Weight	Face Value	Minting Years
1 kilogram	1001.00 g	1000.00 g	150 AUD until 1991 - since 1992 30 AUD	since 1991
10 ounces	311.30 g	311.03 g	50 AUD until 1991 - since 1992 10 AUD	since 1991
2 ounces	62.26 g	62.20 g	10 AUD until 1991 - since 1992 2 AUD	1991-2009
1 ounce	31.13 g	31.10 g	5 AUD until 1991 - since 1992 1 AUD	since 1990

5) Special Features – Minting Years – History – Mintage
The Silver Kookaburra is considered one of the world's most valuable and sought-after silver investment coins. In addition to silver investment coins, there are gilded versions that are popular due to being minted in significantly smaller quantities than the regular uncirculated versions. The only gold issue is the 20th Gold Proof Set. Additionally, there are Silver Kookaburras with Privy Marks, such as "Elk, Little Mermaid, and Colosseum." A few of these Privy Marks, minted in very limited quantities, are gilded, such as "Chinese Dragon, Chinese Phoenix, and Panda." Until 2008, proof versions (Proof) were issued in polished die and planchet quality. They feature a matte motif against a glossy background and bear the Mintmark "P." In contrast, the bullion version features a glossy motif against a matte background. Since 2008, the regular minting versions also bear the "P" Mintmark. The mintage is limited to 300,000 pieces per year of mintage. Since 2011, the maximum mintage is 500,000 pieces of this beautiful silver investment coin. The 2-ounce version of the Kookaburra was discontinued starting from 2010, with its last year of issue being 2009.