2009 Perth Mint Gold Proof Sovereign Coin

General Coin Information

With a coin that can trace its' history back to 1489, the release of the 2009 Perth Mint Gold Proof Sovereign Coin is slated to be the first of annual versions available with a unique Australian design. The Perth Mint has produced gold sovereigns in the past when it was part of the British Royal Mint, but the reverse design of this coin makes it completely Australian.

Henry VII of England was on the throne when the original sovereigns were first issued by the Royal Mint of Britain. With some gaps in production, the sovereign has been minted off and on since that year.

The first design consisted of an image of the king on the obverse with the royal coat of arms on the reverse. In 1817, the reverse was changed to depict Saint George killing a dragon.

As Australia was a territory of Great Britain, the branches of the Royal Mint located there were used to produce the sovereigns for the British government. The Perth Mint, opened in 1899, was one of these branch mints.

More than a century later, the Perth Mint continues the tradition with this new coin. It is slated to be released annually.

The Perth Mint sovereign is composed of 91.67% pure gold (22 carat) which is also known as crown gold. It is considered legal tender of Australia under the Currency Act of 1965 and will ship in circular presentation case.

A mintage limit of 2,500 units is in place on the sovereign. Original issue price was AUS $590, but could be changed dependant upon gold prices.

If available, this coin may be purchased online from the following Perth Mint page:

2009 Perth Mint Gold Proof Sovereign

Obverse Design

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II is minted on the obverse. Surrounding her are the inscriptions "Queen Elizabeth II", "Australia", "2009" and "25 Dollars".

Reverse Design

The reverse contains the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, which consists of the six badges of the States of the Commonwealth, all placed on a shield. The Crest of the Arms is shown above the shield with a seven-pointed star. The shield is supported by a kangaroo and an emu. Inscribed are the words "Australia" and "Sovereign".

2009 Perth Mint Gold Proof Sovereign Coin Specifications

Mint: Perth Mint of Australia    Mintmark: P    Finish/Condition: Proof    Metal Content: .9167 Pure Gold    Minimum Gross Weight: 7.9881 grams    Diameter: 22.60 mm    Thickness: 1.75 mm    Edge: Reeded    Mintage Limits: 2,500    Issue Date: 15 May 2009    Issue Price: AUS $590    Face Value: AUS $25

Perth Mint Gold Proof Sovereign Coin Auctions

2009 Perth Mint Gold Proof Sovereign Coin Resources

• Mint information page
• Additional coin information - CoinNews.net