Australian Kangaroo: The Story of a Coin That Changes Every Year
Among bullion coins, the Australian Kangaroo has a feature that almost no other coin shares – the design on the reverse literally changes every year. In this article we trace the history of this coin from its beginnings to the recent change of the monarch’s portrait.
From nugget to kangaroo: the story since 1986
The coin we know today as the Australian Kangaroo was launched in 1986 under the name Australian Gold Nugget. It was produced by Gold Corporation, owned by the Government of Western Australia, and its reverse showed a real gold nugget found in Australia. Only a few years later, in 1989/1990, did The Perth Mint replace the nugget with a kangaroo – and it was this change that sparked great interest among collectors and investors. You can read more about the mint itself in The Story of The Perth Mint.
The artist Dr Stuart Devlin and why the design changes every year
The original design of a bounding kangaroo against a stylised Australian landscape was created by the renowned designer Dr Stuart Devlin. Since then The Perth Mint has deliberately issued a new, unique kangaroo design every year. According to the mint, this annual change raises the coin’s numismatic appeal beyond its pure metal value.
Fineness and legal tender status
The coin is struck in fine gold of 999.9/1000 (24 carat) and is legal tender in Australia under the Currency Act 1965. That puts it alongside other renowned bullion coins such as the Krugerrand and the Canadian Maple Leaf.
A new era: King Charles III on the obverse
Since its launch, the obverse carried the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II – until 2024, when the portrait of King Charles III appeared for the first time. It is an important milestone in the history of the series and a natural consequence of the change on the throne.
The Kangaroo compared
How the Australian Kangaroo compares with other popular bullion coins is shown in the articles Britannia vs. Australian Kangaroo and Wiener Philharmoniker vs. Australian Kangaroo.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the kangaroo design change every year?
The Perth Mint does this deliberately to increase the coin’s appeal to collectors – it is a targeted strategy, not a random change.
Does the annual design change affect the coin’s investment value?
As with other bullion coins, the basic investment value depends on the price of the gold it contains. Individual years may be more or less popular with collectors, but this has little effect on the usual price linked to the metal.
What was the design before the kangaroo?
Between 1986 and 1989 the coin was issued as the Australian Gold Nugget, showing a real gold nugget found in Australia.
Related articles
- Australian Lunar III Year of the Goat 2027: gold coin from The Perth Mint
- The story of the U.S. Mint and the American Eagle
- American Eagle: silver bullion coin from the U.S. Mint
- The Story of The Perth Mint: Australia’s State Mint
- Australian Lunar: Gold Coin with the Chinese Zodiac
About the author
Adolf Baumann, analyst at Baumann Group a.s. (GOLDU), has been working with precious metals for over 30 years. He has seen euphoria, crashes and panic on the markets – and he still enjoys it. He explains in plain language what moves the price of gold and silver and how to handle them without unnecessary mistakes. His weakness? He refuses to wear a suit.
