The Silver Kookaburra is a silver bullion coin originating

from Australia, and produced at the Perth Mint starting in 1990.

The coins are .999 fine silver. While the obverse of the coin always
depicts Queen Elizabeth II, the reverse side changes every year,
always featuring a kookaburra, a bird native to Australia. Due to the
yearly design change and limited production of the one ounce coins,
they have higher collectible value than some other bullion coins. The
Perth Mint generally ships the coins in individual plastic capsules.
Special editions such as proof, high relief, privy marked, colored, and
gilded are often available.
1. The Perth Mint opened in 1899 as a branch of Britains Royal Mint.
2. The Perth Mint was the third of three colonial branches of the Royal Mint established in Australia, yet
remains the only operating Mint from the early gold rushes.
3. The Perth Mint is one of the oldest Mints in the world still operating from its original premises.
4. Throughout its 114-year history, The Perth Mint has fulfilled the dual roles of precious metal refining
and coining.
5. In 1970, ownership of The Perth Mint transferred from Britains Royal Mint to the Government of
Western Australia.
6. Spurred on by a massive surge in global demand for gold in the late 1980s, the State Government
commissioned the Western Australian Development Corporation to redevelop The Perth Mint.
7. Gold Corporation was established under statutory legislation - Gold Corporation Act 1987 - to
manage The Perth Mints assets and launch an Australian bullion coin program.
8. The management of Gold Corporation is governed by an independent Board of Directors.
9. With more than 90% of its turnover contributed by exports, Gold Corporation is one of the top ten
exporters in Western Australia.
10. The Perth Mints operations include precious metals refining, coin and bar manufacture and
marketing, precious metals investment solutions, and the hosting of a retail shop and historic tourist
attraction.
11. Arthur Bailey and William Ford discovered gold in Western Australia at Fly Flat near Coolgardie in
1892. A bronze statue of the two prospectors is the centrepiece of The Perth Mints forecourt.
12. Paddy Hannan was a gold prospector who discovered gold on 17 June 1893 near Kalgoorlie, sparking
Western Australias gold rush, with prospectors precious finds making their way to The Perth Mint.
13. Government architect, George Temple Poole, was the designer of The Perth Mint building, but
retired in 1896 before its completion.
14. John Francis Campbell was appointed as the first Deputy Master of the Perth Branch of the Royal
Mint in 1896. Since then, the title of Deputy Master has changed to Director then Chief Executive
Officer. Since its foundation, The Perth Mint has had 12 Officers in Charge.
15. Sir John Forrest, the first Premier of Western Australia, is regarded as the founding father of The
Perth Mint. John saw the importance of gold in the development of Western Australia's economy, and
successfully lobbied the British Government to establish a branch of the Royal Mint in Perth.
16. In 1957, Refinery Officer Leo Hickey and Senior Craftsman Alexander Osborne produced a gold plate
of 999.999 purity. This famous piece of gold is known as Plate 42C, giving the Mint the distinction of
having produced the purest gold ever assayed by the Royal Mint.
17. In 2003, The Perth Mint officially opened an 8,400 square metre state-of-the-art manufacturing
facility next door to its original building. This modern structure was named Campbell-Forrest House
after the Mints first Deputy Master and Western Australias first Premier.
18. Among those who have designed for The Perth Mint, Dr Stuart Devlin AO CMG, Goldsmith and
Jeweller to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and internationally renowned master of coin design, is the
most famous.
19. The Perth Mint operates Australias only precious metals refinery.
20. As one of the highest throughput refineries in the world, and the largest facility in the
Southern Hemisphere, The Perth Mint refines between 300 and 400 tonnes of precious
metals each year, though its capacity far exceeds this level of output.
21. The Perth Mint refines the majority of gold mined in Australia, and volumes of gold
sourced from surrounding countries including Asia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Fiji and
the Solomon Islands.
22. The Perth Mint is an accredited refiner for the London Bullion Mark Association, the
New York Commodity Exchange, the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, and the Tokyo
Commodity Exchange.
23. An extensive selection of 99.5% and 99.99% pure gold, and 99.9% pure silver cast bars
are produced at The Perth Mint refinery.
24. Perth Mint gold and silver bars are tradable anywhere in the world.
25. The Perth Mint refinery also offers analytical services to the Australian metals industry.
26. The 1899 gold sovereign was the first coin produced in Perth, denoted by The Perth Mints P mintmark.
27. Sovereign coins were withdrawn from circulation in 1931. By that time, The Perth Mint had struck in excess of 106
million sovereigns and 735,000 half sovereigns for distribution throughout Australia and the British Empire.
28. In 1922, The Perth Mint made its first copper penny.
29. The Perth Mint issued its first silver shilling in 1946.
30. The Perth Mint struck the first copper decimal coin in Australia - a 1966-dated 1 cent piece.
31. From 1922 to 1984, The Perth Mint produced in excess of 1.5 billion shillings, pennies, halfpennies, 2 cents and 1
cent coins.
32. Since 1986, The Perth Mint has issued bullion and collector coins in 99.99% pure gold, 99.9% pure silver, 99.95%
pure platinum, and a range of base metal collectables.
33. The Perth Mints most popular coin theme is Australian animals, including the kangaroo, kookaburra, koala and
platypus, which are showcased on the Australian bullion coin program.
34. The Perth Mints reputation for minting excellence has resulted in contracts to design and manufacture
commemorative coins on behalf of other countries.
35. The Perth Mint is an important supplier of precious metal blanks to other major mints in the world.
36. The Perth Mint offers custom minting services to design and manufacture coins to clients unique requirements.
37. Media personalities who have been involved in the promotion of Perth Mint coin programs include Prime Minister
Bob Hawke, Olivia Newton-John, Jackie Chan, the late Peter Allen and Steve Irwin, Darryl Somers, Narelda Jacobs, and
Philippa OConnell.
38. In 2013, The Perth Mint combined traditional craftsmanship with special phosphorescence technology to release
its first ever glow-in-the-dark coin, the Aurora Australis coin in the Australian Antarctic Territory series.
39. Under the authority of the Commonwealth Government of Australia, The Perth Mint is appointed to design, make
and market Australias official bullion coin program.
40. Australia became the first nation to issue a bullion coin program which featured four precious metals gold, silver,
platinum and palladium.
41. All Perth Mint bullion coins are issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965.
42. The legal tender status of Perth Mint bullion coins means their precious metal weight and purity is guaranteed by
the Commonwealth Government of Australia.
43. Australias first pure gold bullion coin, the Australian Nugget, was unveiled by The Perth Mint in 1987, with its
popular kangaroo design theme later introduced in 1989.
44. The Australian Nugget was launched in 11 countries around the world during a 33-day road show.
45. The Australian Nugget bullion coin series converted more than 43,000 ounces of gold into 947,000 coins,
generating some $290 million in export revenue in its first year.
46. Australias first pure silver bullion coin series, the Australian Kookaburra, was released by The Perth Mint in 1990.
47. In 1995, The Perth Mint issued the Australian Emu the nations first palladium bullion coin series.
48. In 1998, The Perth Mint issued the Australian Koala the countrys first 99.95% pure platinum bullion coin series.
49. Today, The Perth Mint issues the worlds largest range of pure gold and silver bullion coins, in weights varying from
1/20oz to 10 kilos.
50. The Perth Mint's bullion coins are unique in the world market as they offer annual design changes and select
limited mintages.
51. Perth Mint minted investment bars are offered in 99.99% pure gold.
52. Perth Mint Gold (PMGOLD) is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.
53. The Perth Mints Depository offers investors cost effective solutions to purchase and securely store their precious
metals coins and bars.
54. In 1992, The Perth Mint introduced privy mark coins which featured a small mark or symbol on an
existing design, to commemorate a special event or anniversary, or customise an Australian coin for
international markets.
55. In 2002, The Perth Mint issued Australias first modern square-shaped Australia Kookaburra coin,
paying tribute to the 1919 - 1921 George V Square Pattern Penny.
56. Also in 2002, The Perth Mint launched the worlds first locket coin a coin with the capacity to
showcase small free-moving objects within a transparent capsule.
57. In 2005, the Mint introduced the worlds first lenticular coin a coin which incorporates special
lenses that allow layered images to morph from one to another as the viewing angle of the coin is
changed.
58. In 2007, The Perth Mint unveiled the orbital coin concept a unique construction which allows an
outer design to rotate around a central core.
59. The Perth Mint is the first Mint to produce a coin in the distinctive shape of Australia.
60. In 2011, The Perth Mint produced the worlds biggest and most valuable coin, weighing a massive
one tonne of 99.99% pure gold
61. The proof version of the Australian Nugget was the nations first coin of this quality to be struck
from 99.99% pure gold.
62. The proof Australian Nugget was the first modern Australian coin to bear The Perth Mints
traditional P mintmark.
63. The proof Australian Nugget was the first internationally distributed gold coin to be issued in five
weights 1oz, 1/2oz, 1/10oz, and 1/20oz.
64. The Perth Mint and Royal Australian Mint joined together to co-produce the commemorative coins
and medallions of the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
65. The Sydney 2000 Olympic Coin Program is the largest coin collection ever released by a host country,
the biggest selling Olympic collector coin program in history, and the most significant collector coin
program in Australian history, with sales totalling 5.5 million coins in some 50 countries.
66. In December 1995, The Perth Mint released the Australian Lunar Bullion Coin Series the worlds
first bullion program inspired by the Chinese zodiac.
67. In 2007, The Perth Mint was responsible for the first lenticular coin to celebrate the Chinese Lunar
New Year.
68. The Perth Mint has perfected the manufacture of large-sized bullion coins in 10 kilo, 1kg, 10oz and
2oz weights.
69. Australia is one of the first nations to introduce colour on its commemorative coins.
70. Australians can purchase pure gold and silver bullion coins and bars online
at www.perthmintbullion.com the first bullion website to offer live pricing.
71. The Perth Mint has established an international presence with agents located in the leading precious
metal markets of Europe, South East Asia, China, Japan and North America.
72. From these alliances, The Perth Mint oversees an extensive distribution network which includes coin
dealers, banks and financial institutions across Australia and New Zealand, Europe, North America,
Japan, South East Asia, China, Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East.
73. Germany is The Perth Mints largest investment coin market.
74. China and Eastern Europe are The Perth Mints top emerging markets for collector coins.
75. The Perth Mint is one of the few international Mints selling precious metal collector coins into
Russia.
76. The Perth Mint is an annual participant in the worlds leading numismatic fairs and conventions
hosted across Australia, in the United States, Germany, Beijing, Japan and Russia.
77. The Perth Mint is well recognised internationally for its design innovation, minting expertise and
marketing acumen, winning 21 industry awards in the past ten years.
78. The Perth Mint was selected above 18 other Mints to produce a legal tender collector coin program
on behalf of the State of Qatar in celebration of the 2006 Doha Asian Games.
79. The Perth Mints best-selling product in 2011 was the Australian Koala 1oz Silver Bullion Coin, with
sales reaching 898,000.
80. Original coin images are illustrated before being transferred onto computer.
81. Coin images are then manually sculptured on to plasters which are as big as dinner
plates.
82. Perth Mint coin design details can be finer than a human hair.
83. The masking of a metal coin die is performed by hand with the aid of a microscope.
84. Talented engravers put the finishing touches to the metal coin dies.
85. Every coin issued by The Perth Mint is individually inspected.
86. The Perth Mints quality management system is certified to the international standards
of AS/NZS ISO 9001:2000.
87. The Perth Mint uses specially adapted pad-printing techniques to achieve colourisation
of precious metal coins.
88. The Perth Mint has a combination of coin blanking and manufacturing equipment
comparable to the most prestigious mints in the world.
89. The Perth Mints Federation Romanesque administration building is one of Perths historic architectural
landmarks.
90. The white limestone used in the construction of the building was quarried from Rottnest Island, while the rough,
darker stone was extracted from Cottesloe Beach.
91. The total cost of construction was 58,000, a considerable sum in the 19th century and equivalent to
approximately $7.5 million today.
92. The Perth Mint foundation stone was laid by Sir John Forrest on 23 September 1896.
93. The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York visited The Perth Mint in 1901.
94. The Perth Mint was one of the first buildings in Western Australia to be placed on the States Register of Heritage
Places.
95. The National Trust of Australia recognised The Perth Mint as the only Mint in the Commonwealth to fulfil multiple
roles of precious metals refining, bullion trading and coin manufacturing on one site.
96. Gold refining and commercial gold pouring took place at the Mints Hay Street premises from June 1899 until April
1990, when the operation was moved to a modern facility located near Perth airport.
97. The brick walls of the Mints original melting house are literally embedded with gold dust, accumulated over many
decades of refining.
98. The Perth Mints grand heritage building, heavily secured vaults and original melting house provide the cues for
many extraordinary stories about Western Australia's golden history.
99. The relaunch of The Perth Mint Shop in November 2011 was the first significant refurbishment to the 19th century
building since the retail store originally opened in 1990.
100. In December 1993, The Perth Mint unveiled its Gold Exhibition, further opening the door to tourism.
89. The Perth Mints Federation Romanesque administration building is one of Perths historic architectural
landmarks.
90. The white limestone used in the construction of the building was quarried from Rottnest Island, while the rough,
darker stone was extracted from Cottesloe Beach.
91. The total cost of construction was 58,000, a considerable sum in the 19th century and equivalent to
approximately $7.5 million today.
92. The Perth Mint foundation stone was laid by Sir John Forrest on 23 September 1896.
93. The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York visited The Perth Mint in 1901.
94. The Perth Mint was one of the first buildings in Western Australia to be placed on the States Register of Heritage
Places.
95. The National Trust of Australia recognised The Perth Mint as the only Mint in the Commonwealth to fulfil multiple
roles of precious metals refining, bullion trading and coin manufacturing on one site.
96. Gold refining and commercial gold pouring took place at the Mints Hay Street premises from June 1899 until April
1990, when the operation was moved to a modern facility located near Perth airport.
97. The brick walls of the Mints original melting house are literally embedded with gold dust, accumulated over many
decades of refining.
98. The Perth Mints grand heritage building, heavily secured vaults and original melting house provide the cues for
many extraordinary stories about Western Australia's golden history.
99. The relaunch of The Perth Mint Shop in November 2011 was the first significant refurbishment to the 19th century
building since the retail store originally opened in 1990.
100. In December 1993, The Perth Mint unveiled its Gold Exhibition, further opening the door to tourism.
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