Perth Mint Unveils the Largest Coin Ever

PERTH, Australia, Oct. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The biggest, heaviest, inherently the most valuable gold bullion coin in the world has been unveiled by The Perth Mint.

Weighing one tonne of 99.99% pure gold, the monumental coin measures nearly 80cms wide and more than 12cms deep.

The coin is the pinnacle of ingenuity and innovation for which The Perth Mint is renowned.  

Chief Executive Officer, Ed Harbuz, reveals that the Mint's dedicated team of talented artists and technical staff worked tirelessly for months to create a coin of this magnitude.  "To cast and handcraft a coin of this size and weight was an incredible challenge, one which few other mints would not even consider," he said.  

As the showpiece of the Australian Kangaroo Gold Bullion Coin Program, its classic design by Dr Stuart Devlin AO CMG, goldsmith and jeweller to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, has featured on each 1 kilo release in the series for more than 20 years.

The one tonne masterpiece features a bounding red kangaroo surrounded by stylised rays of sunlight and bordered by the inscription AUSTRALIAN KANGAROO 1 TONNE 9999 GOLD and the year-date 2012.

Issued as Australian legal tender, the obverse of the coin features the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by the inscriptions ELIZABETH II, AUSTRALIA and the monetary denomination of 1 MILLION DOLLARS.

The Australian Kangaroo Gold Bullion Coin Program offers a range of coin sizes, with various mintage limits and annual design changes.  

While the design of the 2012 1 kilo release will mirror its super-sized companion, the smaller coins in the series will feature a standing kangaroo against an outback scene.

The weight and purity of each issue is guaranteed by the Government of Western Australia making Kangaroo coins a secure way to invest in gold.  

Visit 1tonnegoldcoin.com or youtube.com/user/perthmintbullion for behind-the-scenes footage of the Australian Kangaroo One Tonne Coin.

Follow The Perth Mint on Twitter at @perthmint for the chance to win one of 100 Australian Kangaroo Miniature Gold Coins.  

View the range of 2012 Australian Kangaroo gold bullion coins, gold cast bars and silver bullion products at perthmintbullion.com

To order, telephone +618 9421 7218 or search perthmintbullion.com/au/About-The-Perth-Mint/Our-Distributors.aspx to find a bullion dealer.

SOURCE The Perth Mint