Australian Kangaroo 1 oz Silver 2012 High Relief
The Australian Kangaroo, is one of the most recognisable coins, minted by the oldest of Australia's mints- Perth Mint- "Located in Perth, the mint established in 1899, the oldest existing mint in Australia to date. Known as the Gold Corporation, the mint processes approximately 60% of the gold mined in Australia (approximately 10% of the world's gold production is mined in Australia)." The kangaroo is a symbol of Australia. It appears, alongside the Emu, in the state coat of arms. It can survive for weeks without water, spends its childhood in a bag, moves around by jumping and is one of the largest mammals on Earth. "Why the kangaroo? The name 'kangaroo' (from kangaroo) was given to these animals by English settlers. It comes from the Aboriginal word 'gungurru', which the natives used to describe the grey kangaroo, and its pronunciation is similar to 'kangaroo'. The Latin name for kangaroos, 'Macropodidae', means 'long foot', and indeed, most members of this family have one. Kangaroos can travel at speeds close to 50 km/h and can overcome obstacles three metres high and as long as 12 metres." It is interesting to note that the current population of kangaroos living in Australia is around 40 million individuals. They are not liked by local settlers and, as a result, projects have been implemented in some states for many years to reduce the kangaroo population. They involve the mass shooting of these animals, which is carried out by professional and specially trained hunters. The animals killed are destined for meat and leather production, including for export. The culling is authorised by the Australian government and is controversial around the world. More than 7 million kangaroos are killed in a year. Obverse: the obverse invariably features an image of Queen Elizabeth II wearing a crown along with her name, the country and the year of mintage Reverse: is decorated with an image of a kangaroo. The reverse also shows the weight, the year of issue and the purity of silver in which the coin was struck. Do you need help? Do you have any questions?Ask a question and we'll respond promptly, publishing the most interesting questions and answers for others. 
