The Koala coin on the right in image 1 is not to size, it is to display the coin next to its packaging. The coin in the packaging on the left is to size and the dimensions of the packaging have been displayed below in the technical specifications.

The Royal Australian Mint’s Mini Money gold coin series will feature a selection of Australia’s iconic native animals. The first coin in this series will feature one of Australia’s most recognisable and distinctive marsupials, the Koala. Koalas inhabit coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia and live mostly on eucalypt leaves. Disease and loss of habitat has reduced populations and koalas are now classed as vulnerable.

When Europeans first settled Australia, they marvelled at the unusual native animals they encountered, among them the koala, which they often and incorrectly described as a bear. The koala was of course well known to indigenous people who hunted them for food. Hunting for skins for export in the 19th and early 20th centuries led to serious population decreases and prompted perhaps Australia’s first large-scale environmental response. The species is now protected, though they are by no means abundant and are classed as vulnerable. Koalas inhabit woodlands along the eastern and southern coasts and live on a diet of mostly eucalyptus leaves. The shy gentle koala is beloved of Australians, featuring in such classic stories as The Adventures of Blinky Bill. The koala is a fitting subject for the first of the Royal Australian Mint’s Mini Money series of gold coins featuring iconic native animals.

The koala features on the Royal Australian Mint’s Mini Money series of gold coins depicting iconic native animals. This is a $2 coin containing a half gram of 99.99 per cent gold, packaged in an attractive presentation capsule. Production is limited to just 5000 units. The coin is legal tender and features Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on one side and, on the reverse, a koala seated on a branch among the gum leaves somewhere in the Australian bush. This is an affordable product for someone interested in collecting gold coins and Australia’s distinctive wildlife.

Coin Features

• Gold coin made from 0.5g of 99.99% gold in a frosted finish
• Coin’s reverse features a koala seated on a branch among the gum leaves
• Coin’s obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II designed by Jody Clark
• Australian legal tender with a denomination of $2
• Limited mintage of 5,000 worldwide

Technical Specifications