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Australia Frilled Neck Lizard

2000-P Proof Five Dollar

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The Sydney 2000 Olympics Five Dollar 'Frilled Neck Lizard' Silver Coin is part of a collection containing 16 pieces. It was struck in sterling silver and were designed to represent both Australia's cultural history and environment. The set comprises of Festival of the Dreaming, Kangaroo, Early Settlement, Great White Shark, Immigrants, Frilled Neck Lizard, Commerce, Emu, Sports and the Arts, Koala, Sydney Harbour, Platypus, Opera House, Echidna, Air and Kookaburra. They are all in a Five Dollar denomination. The set was released in 2000 following the successful Olympic Games from Sydney, Australia.

The reverse of the coin, designed by Stuart Devlin has an intricate design with a ring of plants signifying the habitat for the frill necked lizard around the inside edge of the coin. In the centre of the coin is a frill necked lizard. Included at the base of the design is the official Sydney 2000Olympicslogo with the five coloured rings signifying the Olympics. The obverse features the traditional Raphael Maklouf 4th portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, crowned, facing right, with necklace andearringsand is surrounded by the legend ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2000 5 DOLLARS. This coin along with the remaining fifteen to complete the set was originally packaged in a wooden display case and with a numbered certificate. On the outside of the lid is stamped with the text THE SYDNEY 2000 OLYMPIC SILVER COIN COLLECTION and the inner side with ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MINT and the PERTH MINT.

The frill necked lizard was the official mascot of the Paralympic Games in Sydney 2000 and was known as Lizzie. It was prominent on the two cent coin before 1991. Its scientific name is Chlamydosaurus kingii. The lizard is found mainly in Northern Australia and New Guinea. It likes forest areas and spends most of its time in trees. There is no other creature known to man with a frilled neck, but despite its ferocious look, it feeds mainly on insects, which suggests it unfolds its neck to scare of predators such as eagles, dingos, larger lizards and owls.