This five Dollar
proof
Silver coin was designed as a
commemorative
item, which celebrates the important historical voyage of Dutch ship the Duyfken. It is one coin from a set of four,
five Dollar coins, which together pay tribute to the most important voyages that contributed to or played a significant role
in Australian history. With the continent, that we now know as Australia being so difficult to reach and completely unknown,
it took skills and dedication to make the discoveries for which these voyages were responsible. They allowed Europeans to
gain access to the landmass and continued to open and educate regarding the nature of the land. Each of the coins that make
up the set was struck into a sterling silver planchet and
features a beautiful design that each depicts a different vessel. As well as the Duyfken being commemorated in this set are
HMB Endeavour, HMS Sirius and HMS Investigator. The set named 'Voyages into History' is one of the Masterpieces in Silver
collection and was released in 2002.
The obverse of the coin features the traditional portrait of Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth, designed by British sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. This is complimented by the legend ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA
2002. The reverse is beautifully designed by Polish sculptor and artist
Wojciech Pietranik who has had a long collaboration with the Masterpieces in Silver collections. The Duyfken is depicted
and is framed with swirling lines that feature on the reverse of each
coin from this set possibly representing the wind in the ships sails. The legend 'VOYAGES INTO DISCOVERY', 'DUYFKEN' and
'5 DOLLARS' frame the image of the ship. The four coins are packaged in a 'Masterpieces in Silver 2002, Voyages into History'
presentation case accompanied with a replica of a navel captains sash badge.
(Royal Australian Mint Issue Vol 49, 2002)
Also included inside is a book telling the stories of each of the voyages as well as a Certificate of Authenticity.
Dutch ship the Duyfken was a small, fast and lightly armed ship that played an important role for a number of years sailing
the route to the Spice Island before making the discovery of the landmass we now know as Australia, for which it would later
become famous. At the turn of the 17th century, the Duyfken assisted a number of additional vessels, which were collectively
known as the Moluccan Fleet, in an intermittent battle with Portuguese Ships. Until this point the Portuguese and Spanish
dominated the spice trade to Europe but their defeat effectively ended this.
(Wikipedia, 2013)
In 1605, at the orders of the Dutch East India Company, the Duyfken now captained by Willem Janszoon set off exploring
beyond the south and east lands for new trade opportunities. At this point the huge landmass of Australia was yet unknown
in the European world. In 1606 she would encounter Australia Cape York Peninsula and land at the Pennefather River. This
landing is credited as the first by Europeans on Australian soil and the first time that all inhabited continents of the
world were known to Europeans.
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