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Australia HMAS Hobart II

2011 Proof Two Dollar

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This sterling silver two dollar coin about the HMAS Hobert II, was produced in commemoration of 100 years of the Royal Australian Navy. It is part of a set of six coins that also includes HMAS AE2 Submarine, HMAS Yarra III, HMAS Australia II, HMAS Sydney III and HMAS Armidale II. The reverse was designed in-house at the Royal Australian Mint and features the submarine portrayed over a map of the globe showing Southern Asia and Australia. It includes the legend "100 YEARS OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY H.M.A.S. HOBART II 1911 2011 2 DOLLARS". The obverse shows an Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, right-facing with tiara and earrings. The legend "ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2011" encircles the image. The set comes in a black presentation box with a velvet lining and includes a booklet detailing the vessels along with a numbered authentication certificate. The mintage was just 5,000 for this set.

HMAS Hobart was a Perth Class guided missile destroyer. She was built by Defoe Shipbuilding Co, Bay City, Michigan, USA in 1964. Her armour included a Tartar single surface-to-air missile launcher, Ikara anti-submarine missile launchers, triple torpedo tube sets, 2 x 5 inch single mount rapid fire guns and 2 Phalanx Close-in Weapons Systems (Royal Australian Navy, 2013) . She sailed to Norfolk in 1966 after being fitted out and performing sea exercises. The ship was deployed to Vietnam and joined the USA 7th Fleet and replaced USS Fechteler on the 31st March 1967. Her duties included patrolling the North Vietnam coast to intercept supply vessels and provide naval gunfire support. HMAS Hobart was restricted to Vietnam duties and not allowed to assist the seventh fleet with other operations as part of the agreement of use.

Australia was the only allied nation to provide naval support to the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. In September of 1967, she handed over to HMAS Perth and sailed home. But she was to return in 1968 to relieve USS Henry B. Wilson. Then in 1971, the Australian Government took the decision to withdraw all its forces from the Vietnam War. HMAS Hobart made her last visit to her home city of Hobart in February 2000. After a brief deployment around the Pacific and New Zealand, she was decommissioned following 34 years of service. HMAS Hobart was sunk in Yankalilla Bay, South Australia as a dive wreck.