This one hundred Dollar gold
proof
coin issued in 2002 was the eighth 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 Sturts Desert Rose, which is the
floral emblem of the Northern Territory. 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 $100 coins there was a limited
mintage
of 2500 for the standard proof and 3000 for the uncirculated proof. Credit for the design of the
reverse of this coin goes to Horst Hahne.
The design is very simple and features Sturts Desert Rose, which takes up the majority of the space. The
legend
100 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 2002. The $100 coins were issued in a plush burgundy presentation case and accompanying
it was a Certificate of Authenticity and booklet of information pertaining to the different floral emblems.
Sturt's Desert Rose, known to some as Gossyplum sturtianum is found across Australia and is native to most states but
most significantly to the Northern Territory. It has a very long life cycle of typically as long as 10 years.Its petals are
pink, purple or maroon and each flower is made up of five petals arranged in a whorl with a small cotton spore in the dark
red centre. Its ability to store water means that is often found in dry and rocky soils as well as sandy, dried up gorges
and creek beds. Its common name honours its discoverer the explorer charles Sturt, who first recorded having sighted it in
1844. The Sturts Desert Rose appears on the official flag of the Northern Territory as well as being its floral emblem.
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