Perth Mint: Australian Nugget 1 oz Gold 1988

The 1988 Australian Nugget 1 oz Gold Coin is an iconic bullion coin issued by the Perth Mint, part of the prestigious Australian series that began in 1986. The 1988 edition stands out for its reverse design featuring the famous “Welcome Stranger” nugget from 1869, surrounded by radiating lines and inscriptions indicating the weight, fineness, and year of issue. Struck from pure gold with a fineness of 999.9 (24 karats), it weighs exactly one troy ounce and carries a face value of 100 Australian dollars. It is the penultimate year featuring a nugget motif before switching to the kangaroo design in 1989, making the 1988 issue highly valued by collectors and investors alike.

Obverse features the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Raphael Maklouf, with the inscription “ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA” and the denomination “100 DOLLARS”.

Reverse shows the legendary “Welcome Stranger” nugget, surrounded by stylized rays and inscriptions: “THE AUSTRALIAN NUGGET”, year of issue, weight, and gold fineness. The reverse was designed by Dr. Stuart Devlin.