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Australia Platypus

2009 Proof Five Dollar

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The Little Dinkums coin collection lovingly celebrates Australia's favourite creatures. The Royal Australian Mint had commissioned artist Ben Hutchings to design six characters for a coin collection named Little Dinkums. They were Petey Platypus, Kip Koala, Kato Cockatoo, Tinga the Tasmanian Tiger, LilyPilly Lizard and finally Binny Bilby. This coin was struck in Gold at a size of just 14mm.The reverse of this coin, designed by the Royal Australian Mint has the cartoon character Petey Platypus depicting the Platypus. It includes the legend 1/25oz 99.99Au 5 DOLLARS. The obverse features the traditional Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, crowned and right facing and is surrounded by the legend ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2009. This coin, along with the other three, were sold in individual boxes with the cartoon character emblazoned upon it.

The Platypus is an amphibian which is native to Eastern Australia and Tasmania. It makes its home by digging a burrow at the edge of freshwater lakes and streams. The burrow they dig can be up to thirty metres long. This is probably because they spend up to seventeen hours a day resting in there. Platypuses don't have any teeth so they use gravel to grind up their food. They feed on worms, larvae and small crustaceans and stores any excess in its tail for leaner times. The males use a venom to protect themselves from any attack and it is powerful enough to kill a dog.