COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
REIGN OF ELIZABETH II (1952-PRESENT)
DISCOVER AUSTRALIA SERIES - AUSTRALIAN FAUNA – THE TASMANIAN DEVIL
$50 GOLD COIN CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 70 ULTRA CAMEO
ONLY 284 MINTED!
OBV: ELIZABETH II PORTRAIT HEAD WITH TIARA RIGHT; DENOMINATION BENEATH.
REV: TAZMANIAN DEVIL SCREECHING RIGHT; DATE RIGHT.
KM# 284
THE TASMANIAN DEVIL (SARCOPHILUS HARRISII) IS A CARNIVOROUS MARSUPIAL. ALTHOUGH IT WAS ONCE NATIVE TO MAINLAND AUSTRALIA, IT IS NOW FOUND OUTSIDE CAPTIVITY ONLY ON THE ISLAND OF TASMANIA. IT IS THOUGHT THAT EXTINCTION ON THE MAINLAND OCCURRED AROUND 3000 YEARS AGO.
THE TASMANIAN DEVIL IS THE SIZE OF A SMALL DOG. IT IS NOW THE LARGEST CARNIVOROUS MARSUPIAL IN THE WORLD. THE THYLACINE, OR TASMANIAN TIGER, WAS ONCE THE LARGEST, BUT THAT SPECIES BECAME EXTINCT IN 1936.
THE DEVIL HAS A STOCKY, MUSCULAR BUILD. IT HAS BLACK FUR, AN UNPLEASANT PUNGENT ODOR, AND HAS A VERY LOUD AND DISTURBING SCREECH. IT ALSO HAS A KEEN SENSE OF SMELL, AND EXHIBITS GREAT FEROCITY WHEN EATING. ITS LARGE HEAD AND NECK GIVE IT THE STRONGEST BITE PER UNIT OF BODY MASS COMPARED TO ANY MAMMALIAN LAND PREDATOR. IT BOTH HUNTS PREY AND SCAVENGES CARRION.
THE ROTUND TASMANIAN DEVIL DOESN’T LOOK FAST, BUT IS CAPABLE OF GREAT ENDURANCE, AND CAN SWIM ACROSS RIVERS AND CLIMB TREES.
BECAUSE THEY WERE SEEN AS A THREAT TO LIVESTOCK AND PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT TO BE IN COMPETITION WITH HUMANS FOR FUR ANIMALS, THEY WERE HUNTED AND BECAME ENDANGERED. IN 1941THEY BECAME OFFICIALLY PROTECTED.
THE DEVIL FACIAL TUMOUR DISEASE (DFTD) HAS DRASTICALLY REDUCED THE DEVIL POPULATION SINCE THE 1990’s AND THREATENS THE SURVIVAL OF THE SPECIES. IN 2008 IT WAS DECLARED TO BE ENDANGERED. PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY BEING IMPLEMENTED BY THE TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THE DISEASE, INLCUDING ISOLATING HEALTHY DEVILS IN CAPTIVITY. THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN SENT TO ZOOS WORLDWIDE SINCE 2013 AS PART OF AN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PROGRAM TO SAVE THE DEVIL.
ANOTHER FACTOR IN THE POPULATION DECLINE IS ROAD MORTALITY. MANY TAZMANIAN DEVILS ARE KILLED EACH YEAR ON MOTORWAYS AS THEY SEEK TO SCAVENGE ROADKILL.
THE TASMANIAN DEVIL IS AN ICONIC SYMBOL OF TASMANIA. MANY ORGANISATIONS, GROUPS AND PRODUCTS USE THE ANIMAL IN THEIR LOGOS. PERHAPS THE MOST ENDURING WORLD FAMOUS EXAMPLE OF THE POPULARITY OF THE DEVIL IS THAT OF THE LOONEY TUNES CARTOON CHARACTER, “TAZ”.
CONTAINS 15.5 GRAMS OF .999 FINE GOLD (.5 OZ AGW)
25 mm IN DIAMETER
ONLY 284 MINTED!
PERTH MINT
