This month, Perth Mint is releasing Australian sea life 1/2 oz silver proof Seahorse. Three of the coins release in the same series before this (lionfish, leafy sea dragon and clownfish) has already been sold out. The last release will be Moray Eel which is expected to be release in May 2010. The coin is struck by The Perth Mint from 1/2oz of 99.9% pure silver in proof quality. Australia one of the country with a unique seahorse; Big-belly seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis. Short-head seahorse or knobby seahorse, Hippocampus breviceps. White's seahorse, Hippocampus whitei.
Seahorses are so named for their equine profile. Although they are bony fish, they do not have scales, but rather a thin skin stretched over a series of bony plates arranged in rings throughout their body. Each species has a distinct number of rings. Seahorses swim upright, another characteristic that is not shared by their close pipefish relatives, which swim horizontally. Seahorses have a coronet on their head, which is distinct to each seahorse, much like a human fingerprint. They swim very poorly by using a dorsal fin, which they rapidly flutter to propel them, and pectoral fins, located behind their eyes, which they use to steer. Seahorses have no caudal fin. As they are poor swimmers, they are most likely to be found resting in beds of sea grass or coral reefs, with their prehensile tails wound around a stationary object. They have long snouts, which they use to suck up food, and eyes that can move independently of each other, much like a chameleon. Seahorses eat small shrimp, tiny fish and plankton.
Seahorses are voracious feeders, eating mainly crustaceans, such as shrimps, and other small animals living among the seaweed such as copepods and amphipods. They do not masticate so they can eat to excess because of their small gut tract. Each eye moves separately making it easier for them to see food and predators. It is quite easy to distinguish males from females. The male have a smooth soft pouch-like area at the base of its abdomen between where the stomach meets the tail on the front side. Males also have a fin here but it is less obvious. The female will have more of a pointed stomach with a very obvious fin at the base of the stomach.
Reverse: The coin’s reverse portrays a Seahorse in colour. With several species endemic to Australian tropical and temperate marine waters, the glimpse of a Seahorse’s beautiful equine shape is especially gratifying to those visiting our reefs.The coin’s reverse also incorporates The Perth Mint’s historic ‘P’ mintmark.
Obverse: Issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965, the coin bears the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the 2010 year-date on the obverse.
Technical Specifications:
Silver Content (Troy oz) 0.5Monetary Denomination (AUD) 0.5
Fineness (% purity) 99.9
Minimum Gross Weight (g) 15.573
Maximum Diameter (mm) 36.6
Maximum Thickness (mm) 2.3
This coin is available online and no more than 10,000 seahorse coins will be released by The Perth Mint. Each coin is housed in a presentation case which comes in a colourfully illustrated box-shipper. When lined-up in release order, the shipper illustrations form a linked image depicting all five reef creatures. Each coin also accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
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