Have you ever heard that song, “Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree”? When I was a kid I use to sing that song and I had no idea what a kookaburra even was!
In case you don’t know either, a kookaburra is a bird that lives in the island nation of Australia. A well-known bird in the Land Down Under, the kookaburra has landed on a coin made by the Perth Mint. The Australian Silver Kookaburra is made of .999 silver and is a great addition to the collection of any young coin collector.
Here are 3 more reasons why you should add one to your collection:
- Kookaburras are cool. The way a kookaburra sounds when it sings is very similar to a human laughing, and it is this laugh that has made them world famous. Besides being famous because of the song “Kookaburra”, the birds were also thrust in the spotlight after being the mascot for the 2000 Olympics held in Australia. Besides their interesting laugh, they also have interesting eating habits: they are meat-eating birds that feast on insects, reptiles and even baby mice and snakes! Click here to listen to a real kookaburra call.
- Silver Kookaburras Change Every Year: The Silver Kookaburra coin features a picture of Queen Elizabeth II on the back that stays the same every year. On the front of the coin is a picture of the kookaburra. This picture changes every year.Because the design of the Silver Kookaburra is always changing, this coin is well loved by people who collect and invest in coins. This year, the Kookaburra celebrates its 25th anniversary with a commemorative coin that shows the original kookaburra design from 1990.
- Silver Kookaburras Fit a Kid-Sized Budget. Kookaburras come in four different sizes: 1/2 oz, 1 oz, 10oz, and 1 kilo. The wide variety of sizes means that there is a Silver Kookaburra for all collectors, no matter how much money they have to spend. The smaller 1oz coins are great for kids who collect. You can buy one for around $25 to $30.
The Australian Silver Kookaburra coins have a low mintage, which means that not many are made each year. This fact makes it a fun treasure hunt to try to find a Kookaburra from each year they’ve been made; that’s 25 coins in all. Good luck!