A Mother, a Joey and a Memorial Portrait
The 2023 1 oz Australian Silver Koala is one troy ounce of 99.99% pure silver from the Perth Mint. The reverse shows a koala climbing a gum tree with a joey on its back, and the obverse carries the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Obverse, dated 1952 to 2022, the span of her reign. It suits stackers who want an Australian ounce and collectors filling in a run of Koala dates.
Family Life in the Canopy
The Perth Mint built the 2023 design around a koala’s family life high in the gum trees. An adult climbs the trunk toward the right, claws hooked into the bark and eyes fixed ahead, while the joey rides on its back with its face turned toward you, small paws gripping its mother’s shoulders. Eucalyptus leaves fan out along the right side of the tree. KOALA runs in large letters across the top, 2023 1oz 9999 SILVER follows the left rim, and the P mintmark sits low in the left field. The reverse is the work of Perth Mint designer Ing Ing Jong.
The Memorial Obverse
Koalas dated 2023 were struck with a memorial version of Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait, issued after her death in 2022. It is Jody Clark’s effigy, the Queen facing right in a tiara, drop earrings and pearls, with his initials JC below the neckline. ELIZABETH II, 1952 to 2022 and AUSTRALIA ring the portrait, with 1 DOLLAR along the bottom rim between two small dots. Later Koalas, the 2025 coin among them, carry Dan Thorne’s portrait of King Charles III instead.
Bullion Finish, Mint Capsule
The Perth Mint lists the finish as bullion. That means bright fields, not mirrored, and small marks from striking and handling at the mint are normal on a bullion coin. Each coin is presented in a protective acrylic capsule, and a micro-laser engraved letter on the coin works as an anti-counterfeit mark you need a magnifying glass to find. The Perth Mint’s own shop lists the 2023 1 oz as sold out, so coins from this year now come from the secondary market and dealer stock.
2023 Silver Koala Specifications
Each coin contains one troy ounce of 99.99% pure silver, with a minimum gross weight of 31.107 grams, a maximum diameter of 40.90 mm and a maximum thickness of 3.50 mm. It carries a $1 AUD face value and is legal tender in Australia under the Currency Act 1965. Full current details are on the Specifications tab above.
2023 1 oz Australian Silver Koala FAQ
Why does a 2023 coin show Queen Elizabeth II?
The Perth Mint issued 2023 Koalas with the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Obverse, which adds the dates of her reign, 1952 to 2022, to Jody Clark’s portrait. Later Koalas, including the 2025 coin, carry a portrait of King Charles III instead.
Who designed the 2023 Silver Koala?
Ing Ing Jong designed the mother and joey on the reverse. The portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse is by Jody Clark, whose initials JC appear below the neckline.
Is the 2023 Silver Koala legal tender?
Yes. It is issued as legal tender under Australia’s Currency Act 1965 and carries a face value of $1 AUD, shown as 1 DOLLAR on the obverse. Its silver content is worth far more than the face value.
Does it come in a capsule?
Yes. The Perth Mint presents each 2023 1 oz Koala in a protective acrylic capsule, and the product title on this page reflects that. Leaving the coin in the capsule keeps fingerprints and handling marks off the surface.
Is the 2023 Silver Koala IRA eligible?
Yes. At 99.99% pure it clears the .999 minimum for silver in a precious metals IRA, and our Specifications tab lists it as eligible. Check with your custodian before buying for an account.
Collecting the series year by year? Browse the rest of our Perth Silver Koalas.
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John C (verified owner) –
Absolutely gorgeous coin. Love the finish and dates of QEII. Nice low mintage. Gotta give it a 5