This Common Heath one hundred fifty dollar gold
proof
coin issued in 1999 was the fifth to be released from a series of nine entitled Floral Emblems of Australia. The set
was released between the years of 1995 and 2003 with a coin featuring the floral emblem of each state as well as the Commonwealth,
the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. This particular coin features the Common Heath, which is the
floral emblem of Victoria. Each emblem of the entire series is represented on three different coins. The first is a $150
half Troy ounce
proof
coin and the remaining two are both $100 one-third Troy ounce proof coins, one of which is an
uncirculated version.
(Royal Australian Mint, 2002)
With regards to the $150 coins there was a limited
mintage
of 1500. Credit for the design of the reverse of this coin goes to
Horst Hahne. The design is very simple and features the Pink Common Heath, which takes up the majority of the space. The
legend
150 DOLLARS is curved beneath the flower following the shape of the coin. The
obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and is surrounded by the
legend
that reads ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1999. The $150 coins were issued in a Tasmanian Blackwood presentation case and accompanying
it was a Certificate of Authenticity and booklet of information pertaining to the different floral emblems. The outer box
was a burgundy colour and features the text FLORAL EMBLEMS OF AUSTRALIA written above a picture of the flower represented
within. Below was written 1999 $150 GOLD PROOF. Additionally a larger presentation case was made available, in which the
entire series can be housed.
Common Heath also known scientifically as Epacris Impressa as well as Pink Heath due to the colour of its flowers. It
is a shrub found in South-East Australia and commonly grow to around 1 metre tall and often higher. The pink flowers for
which the shrub is most well known occur between the months of Autumn and Spring and are not always pink but can sometimes
be white or dusky red. The flowers and long and tubular in shape.The nectar and pollen attracts birds and bees which aid
cross pollination so different colours of the flowers are often seen close to one another. Victoria was the first State in
Australia to adopt a floral emblem, which it did in 1958 and the Common Heath was its flower of choice.
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