Settings Subscribe  

NumisTip

Australia Echidna

2009-P Proof Silver One Dollar

Values

Sales History

Current listings

?

This Echidna piece was released in 2009 as part of the Perth mint's Discover Australia - Dreaming series. The series celebrated some of Australia's most iconic animals in the style of Indigenous artist Darryl Bellotti. The reverse of this particular coin depicts a stylised Echidna with a coloured pattern background and the legend 'DISCOVER AUSTRALIA - 2009 ECHIDNA 1OZ 999 SILVER.' The obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II with the legend 'ELIZABETH II - AUSTRALIA - 1 DOLLAR.'

The Echidna is the oldest mammal on the planet. They can be found throughout Australia and in parts of New Guinea in a variety of environments including quite extreme temperatures. A number of subspecies have developed localised variations like denser fur to deal with their environment. Using their snout and long tongue the echidna forages for ants, termites, earthworms, and some beetles. Although habitat loss, motor vehicles, and domestic cats and dogs pose a substantial threat to the echidna they are a highly resilient species and remain very common.