Tuvalu 2009 $1 Saltwater Crocodile 1oz Silver Proof
The Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is known for being the largest of the living reptiles and is found in parts of Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. The adult male can grow to weigh anywhere between 880 and 3300 pounds (400–1,500 kg), with a length between 4-5.1 metres (13–17 ft). Older crocodiles have been known to be around 6 metres in length. Saltwater crocodiles have a diet consisting of pretty much any animals that has the misfortune of wandering into their territory. This includes humans, although it is rare in Australia, with one or two fatalities on average per year. This is generally due to the safety precautions placed in known crocodile territories. The same cannot be said for other places such as New Guinea, that has almost no precautions in place, and where it is thought many of the crocodile attacks go unreported.
| The reverse design on the Saltwater Crocodile silver coin features a striking image of the "Croc" with it's powerful jaws open wide. The crocodile and surrounding marsh area is expertly coloured by the skilled craftsmen at the Perth Mint and makes for an eye-catching image against the reflective silver proof surface of the coin. At the top is the title of the coin, while at the bottom are the specifications. The obverse carries the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, together with the denomination, country and year of issue. |  |
Each silver coin is struck from 1 ounce (31.14 grams) of 92.5% silver on a 40.60mm flan. The coin is encapsulated and housed in a beautifully crafted wood display case within a full-colour outer box. Accompanying the coin is an individually numbered Certificate of Authenticity, which confirms the limited mintage of just 5000 coins released worldwide.
 | The Deadly and Dangerous series has been unprecedented in it's popularity around the globe, sparking an increase in the creation of colourised coins by the Perth Mint due to a growing public hunger for eye catching collector pieces. We may not have seen such coins as the Great Battles of History series, or the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen silver coins, if it wasn't for the popularity of this series. Of all the previous issues it is without doubt the first coin, the 2006 Red Back silver proof, that commands the greatest desire, with secondary market prices now past the AU$800 mark. The Great White Shark and Blue Ringed Octopus are also incredibly popular, and their retail prices are now far beyond the original official issue price. |
Perhaps it comes as no surprise that just a week after the Saltwater Crocodile coin was released it has sold out at ECI. With our large allocation as official distributor for the Perth Mint, that is an overwhelming result, and one that tells us the popularity of the Crocodile coin is likely going to rival that of the Red Back.
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