Silver Kookaburra

Silver Kookaburras at BGASC

One of the most popular and well-known silver coins on the market is the Australian Silver Kookaburra. This series, struck by the Perth Mint, is known for its variety as the image of the kookaburra changes with every new release. Learn more about these coins and their history, right here at BGASC.

Background on the Series

The Australian Silver Kookaburra series debuted in 1990 and was the first silver coin series from the Perth Mint to feature the image of a native species. In 1990, just a 1 oz silver coin was available. In 1992, 1 kilo, 10 oz, and 2 oz coins were made available. These weights continued until 2010 when the 2 oz coin was discontinued.

Design of the Silver Kookaburra

As mentioned above, this series is unique in that the image of the Kookaburra changes with every new release. Notably, in 2018 the coin program upgraded their purity from .999 silver to .9999 pure silver. These coins also display a high-quality finish to give the kookaburra a glossy appearance.

Along with the kookaburra, the reverse of these coins also displays identifying marks of the coin such as:

• Fineness and weight: The purity of the coin as well as the metal content.
• Mint Mark: Like most Perth Mint coins, the “P” mint mark is displayed.
• Year of production: The year of issue can also be found on the reverse.

As for the obverse, similarly to the Australian Silver Kangaroo Coins, the obverse always features the reigning British monarch’s effigy.

• Queen Elizabeth II effigy designed by Raphael Maklouf (1990-1998).
• Queen Elizabeth II portrait designed by Ian Rank-Broadley (1999-2018).
• Queen Elizabeth II effigy created by Jody Clark (2019-2023).
• King Charles III portrait created by Dan Thorne (2024-present).

Sizes Available and Further Information

• 1 kilogram: $30
• 10 oz: $10
• 2 oz: $2
• 1 oz: $1

From the inception of the series until 2010, the 1 oz silver coin had a mintage cap of just 300,000. While that cap was hit in 1990 and 1991, it wasn’t reached again until 2008. In 2011, the mintage cap for the series was raised to 500,000. This puts the Silver Kookaburra in higher demand than other coin programs from the Perth Mint.  For example, the Australian Silver Kangaroo has mintages consistently in the millions.

Silver Kookaburra Coins in the 1 oz size are available individually, in protective plastic flips. Whereas the larger sizes such as the 10 oz and 1 kilo coins, will be shipped in protective capsules.

Investing in Silver Kookaburras at BGASC

Call 888-992-4272 to get in touch with the BGASC customer service team. Our dedicated team is available for any questions you may have about these Silver Kookaburras or others. Our team can also be reached via email or through our online chat feature.