2010 Perth Mint Gold Proof Sovereign Coin

General Coin Information

The 2010 Perth Mint Gold Proof Sovereign Coin is now available for the second year in a row from the Perth after a 78-year hiatus from production.

Unknown to many, the Perth Mint actually owes its creation to the sovereign as it was constructed to mint the gold coins for the Royal Mint of Britain back in 1899. At that time, Australia was still of colony of Britain and the Royal Mint was constructing branch mints near gold deposits so that they could refine the gold and strike the sovereigns without having to ship the unrefined gold ore.

Then, in 1931, the Perth stopped producing the sovereigns along with the rest of the Royal Mint's branches as Great Britain stopped using the gold standard. The Perth continued its gold refining operations and still does so today along with striking other bullion, numismatic and collector coins.

The new sovereigns are quite different from the sovereigns of the past, however, and feature a uniquely Australian reverse as designed by Darryl Bellotti. It showcases the Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms which represents the six states of the Commonwealth and an ermine border signifying the Australian Federation in 1901.

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

A maximum mintage of only 2,500 will be adhered to by the Perth making these coins a rare find for any collector. Issue price is listed at AUS $590.

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

2010 Perth Mint Gold Proof Sovereign

Obverse Design

Ian-Rank-Broadley's effigy of Queen Elizabeth II is minted on the obverse. Surrounding her are the inscriptions "Queen Elizabeth II", "Australia", "2010" 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".

2010 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: 4 May 2010    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
• 2009 coin information - CoinNews.net