1 oz Australian Platinum Platypus Coin (BU)

A Series That Only Ran Seven Years

The Perth Mint struck its Platinum Platypus for just seven years, 2011 through 2017, before retiring the design in favor of the Platinum Kangaroo. That short run makes every date in this listing genuinely scarce next to the Mint’s ongoing gold and silver programs. Every coin holds one troy ounce of .9995 fine platinum, backed by a $100 AUD face value as Australian legal tender. Seven years, then done, unlike the Mint’s ongoing series.

A Platypus Mid-Swim

Perth Mint designer Natasha Muhl’s reverse shows a platypus viewed from above and slightly behind, broad tail and webbed feet spread as it swims, fine incuse lines picking out its fur against a matte field. Ribbon-like water plants trail up one side, with bubbles scattered across the surface to suggest depth. The obverse carries Ian Rank-Broadley’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the same fourth-generation effigy used across Commonwealth coinage at the time, alongside the $100 denomination. Muhl designed the platypus, Rank-Broadley designed the portrait.

Every Year, the Same Queen

This listing ships whatever year the Mint has most available, not a year you pick, but the obverse itself isn’t a variable the way it is on some other Perth Mint coins. The Platinum Platypus was discontinued in 2017, five years before Queen Elizabeth II’s death, so no King Charles III version of this coin exists or ever will. Every coin in this listing, regardless of year, carries the same Queen Elizabeth II effigy. The monarch never changes here, only the date does.

Legal Tender, Eligible for an IRA

Every coin carries a $100 AUD face value under the Australian Currency Act, backed by the Australian government, though the platinum inside is worth far more than that number stamped on the coin. At .9995 fine, it also clears the IRS’s .995 minimum for a precious metals IRA with room to spare. Purity clears the IRA floor, well past what the rule requires.

1 oz Australian Platinum Platypus Specifications

Every coin holds one troy ounce of .9995 fine platinum, 32.6 mm across, with a $100 AUD face value. One troy ounce, always .9995, whichever year ships. Full current specs are on the Specifications tab above.

1 oz Australian Platinum Platypus FAQ

Will my coin have Queen Elizabeth II or King Charles III on the obverse?

Queen Elizabeth II, on every coin in this listing without exception. The Perth Mint discontinued the Platinum Platypus in 2017, well before Charles III took the throne, so a King Charles III version was never struck. Only one monarch exists, for this entire series.

Is the Platinum Platypus IRA eligible?

Yes. At .9995 fine, it clears the IRS’s .995 minimum for a precious metals IRA by a wide margin. Eligibility isn’t a close call, given how far past the floor it sits.

Does this coin have a face value?

Yes, every Platinum Platypus carries a $100 AUD face value backed by the Australian government as legal tender, though the platinum inside is worth far more than that number stamped on the coin. Face value is $100 AUD, not what the coin is worth.

What condition will my coin arrive in?

Brilliant Uncirculated, as struck by the Mint. Coins may show light handling marks from minting and shipping, which is normal for the series and doesn’t affect the platinum content. Condition is Brilliant Uncirculated, not a third-party grade.

Why did the Perth Mint stop making this coin?

The Mint retired the Platinum Platypus after 2017 and replaced it with the Platinum Kangaroo the following year. Neither the Mint’s own records nor outside sources give a specific public reason for the switch. Production ended in 2017, without an announced reason.

Curious about the Perth Mint’s other platinum coins? Browse our full Australian Platinum Coins selection.

Ready to add a discontinued series to your stack? Add the 1 oz Australian Platinum Platypus Coin to your cart.