The first release in the Bird of Paradise Series from the Perth Mint was Victoria’s riflebird, one of the 42 species and 15 genera in the greater family. Victoria’s riflebirds are endemic to northeastern Queensland in Australia and are named in English for the reigning monarch at the time Europeans recorded its existence, Queen Victoria. The 2019 1 oz Proof Silver Australian Bird of Paradise Coin is available to you to purchase online at Silver.com.
Coin Highlights:
- Coins ship to you inside of classic Perth Mint clamshells with a themed shipper and Certificate of Authenticity!
- First Bird of Paradise design and the first issue of proof versions in the series!
- Mintage limited to 2,500 coins only!
- Consists of One Troy ounce of .9999 fine silver.
- Issued a face value of $1 (AUD) by Australia.
- Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse.
- Victoria’s riflebird shows off its mating ritual on the reverse.
- Perth Mint “P” mint marks.
In 1848, Scottish naturalist John Macgillivray recorded the beautiful plumage and existence of a bird of paradise family member known to the English-speaking world as Victoria’s riflebird. Queen Victoria was the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom at this point in time and the colorful plumage of the male in the species closely matched the contemporary uniforms of the day worn by British riflemen.
To the indigenous people of the Indo-Pacific region, the bird of paradise went by a different name. Endemic to Queensland, the Yidinji people referred to the birds as the duwuduwu. Tribal members would use the feathers of the bird for numerous purposes ranging from a form of currency to ceremonial adornments during cultural celebrations.
On the reverse side of 2019 1 oz Proof Silver Australian Bird of Paradise coins is the image a male from the Victoria’s riflebird species. The mating ritual of the birds features a flamboyant display of head nods, weaving, and flapping movements. This effort culminates in the design you see here where the bird holds its head up high and arches its wings toward the sky in a dramatic gesture toward females.
The obverse of 2019 Proof Silver Bird of Paradise Coins includes the Jody Clark right-profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. In this sixth-generation design on Australian coins, you find Her Majesty with the Royal Diadem crown on her head and her neckline and shoulders in the design field for the first time since 1966.
These 2019 Proof Australian Bird of Paradise 1 oz silver coins are available to you inside of the Perth Mint’s iconic grey clamshell display box. The boxes are housed within Bird of Paradise shippers that feature full-color artwork of the Victoria’s riflebird and its beautiful plumage. The coins all come with an individually numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
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