September 13, 2018 – The Royal Australian Mint has issued the second release in its three-coin The Earth and Beyond series, which showcases our extraordinary planet and beyond. Following on from the first domed coin in the series, which depicted the Earth as seen from space, this new release celebrates the Moon, our closest celestial companion.
Australia / 5 dollars / silver .999 / 1 oz / 39.62 mm / Mintage: 5,000.
Royal Australian Mint Chief Executive Officer Ross MacDiarmid says the convex shape of the new The Earth and Beyond coin adds depth and accuracy to the design. “The Earth and Beyond series is the first time the Royal Australian Mint has applied colour on the convex surface of a coin,” he said. “We now continue this impressive series with a beautifully coloured and realistic depiction of the Moon on a domed convex surface.”
Struck from one ounce of fine silver, the obverse of the coin features Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s effigy sculpted by Ian Rank-Broadley surrounded by the planets of our solar system.
For more information on this beautiful coin, visit the RA Mint website.
Australia was the third nation to launch a satellite into space but lost much of its momentum afterwards. The newly-founded Australian Space Agency aims to re-enter the international space race.