Named for its long, distinctively shaped tail, the wedge-tailed eagle is Australia’s largest bird of prey and one of the biggest eagles in the world. Found throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania and southern Papua New Guinea, the bird has an impressive wingspan of up to 2.7 metres.

The bird’s characteristic tail is visible even when gliding thousands of metres above the ground. Able to fly tirelessly for hours on end, the wedge-tailed eagle frequently reaches altitudes of more than 2,000 metres and has been recorded soaring as high as 6,800 metres above the ground.

The Australian Wedge-tailed Eagle 2019 2oz Gold Proof High Relief Coin is struck by The Perth Mint from 99.99% pure gold, and issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965. No more than 250 of these coins will be released worldwide.

DESIGN

Designed by John Mercanti, the coin’s superb high relief reverse depicts a magnificent wedge-tailed eagle in flight with wings fully extended and stylised rays of sunlight in the background.

The design also includes the inscription AUSTRALIAN WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE, the 2019 year-date, the coin’s weight and fineness and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark.

The coin’s obverse depicts the Jody Clark effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination.

TECHNICAL NOTES

The coin has been struck with an extra-deep blank to showcase its superbly detailed design in high relief.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

This is the fourth wedge-tailed eagle design for The Perth Mint by renowned sculptor and engraver John M. Mercanti, the 12th Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint. Mercanti also created the reverse design of the American Silver Eagle bullion coin and has produced more coin and medal designs than any other employee in the history of the U.S. Mint.

PRESENTATION

This coin is housed in a prestigious wooden display case within a themed shipper and is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

Technical Specifications