Settings Subscribe  

NumisTip

Australia Avro 504K

2008 Proof Five Dollar

Values

Sales History

Current listings

?

This five dollar coin of the Avro 504K is part of the collection of coins under the heading 'Flying Through Time' which consists of five other designs. They were all struck in Sterling Silver. The reverse of the coin, designed by Wojciech Pietranik, includes two images of the Avro 504K viewed from different angles and with the Avro logo clearly visible on it's fuselage. Included at the base of the design is the the legend 5 DOLLARS and it also has the legend around the inside edge of the coin of, AVIATION HISTORY - AVRO 504K. The obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, crowned, facing right, with earrings and is surrounded by the legend ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2008. This coin along with the other three to complete the set was originally boxed in pairs sets or they could be obtained by subscription to the ROYAL AUSTRALIAN MINT.

The Avro Aircraft Company built the Avro 504K. It was a bi-plane made almost entirely from wood. It had its maiden flight on 18th September 1913. The 504K was a development from the original Avro 500. It had served during World War 1 and continued production for nearly two decades. It has a very interesting history and it is known to be the first British aircraft to be shot down by the Germans. It was one of the planes flown by the Royal Flying Corps. Production of the 504K during World War 1 reached 8970 (Wikipedia, 2013) , but it continued production under licences to seventeen UK companies as well as companies in Australia, Canada, Argentina, Mexico, Japan andBelgium. Production continued until 1932 and it was mainly used for training purposes between the World Wars (Simply Planes, 2013) . There is a Qantas Avro 504K replica with a Sunbeam engine displayed at the Qantas Domestic Terminal in Sydney, Australia.