The Complete Guide to the Australian Koala
The Silver Koala Bear is a silver coin originating from Australia and produced at the Perth Mint. While the obverse of the coin always depicted Queen Elizabeth II (up until 2023), the reverse side changes every year, always featuring a koala, a marsupial native to Australia.
The mint updates the monarch’s portrait on obverse of the coin periodically. For example, Queen Elizabeth II has six portraits made in the course of her reign. However, only the fourth and sixth portraits were used on silver koalas.
The coins are minted yearly in up to five different sizes, 1kg, 10oz, 1oz, 1/2oz, 1/10oz.
There are a number of privy and special edition coins, most of which are show below. If the list is incomplete, please do contact me and I will update accordingly – contactbritanniauk@gmail.com
1oz Silver Bullion
The coins were .999 fine silver until the 2018 edition, which increased in purity to .9999 silver. Perth Mint originally had no caps on the amount of one-ounce coins produced, but since 2018, it has been capped to 300,000 – diameter 40.6mm

2007
137,768 Mintage

2008
84,057 Mintage

2009
336,757 Mintage

2010
233,531 Mintage

2011
910,480 Mintage

2012
388,046 Mintage

2013
477,209 Mintage

2014
334,884 Mintage

2015
450,899 Mintage

2016
300,000 Mintage

2017
300,000 Mintage

2018
166,434 Mintage

2019
149,810 Mintage

2020
222,450 Mintage

2021
176,334 Mintage

2022
300,000 Limit

2023
300,000 Limit

2024
300,000 Limit

2025
300,000 Limit

2026
300,000 Limit
1oz Privy & Special Release
Several Privy and Special Editions have been released over the years, with the first being a 2012 F12 Privy. Due to their limited mintage, the Privy edition’s tend to command more of a premium and are more difficult to source.

2008
F12
5,000 Mintage

2011
Bullion Bear
48,920 Mintage

2012
Berlin Bear
32,361 Mintage

2013
Chinese Characters
10,392 Mintage

2013
Discover Australia
3,500 Limit (Proof)

2014
Chinese Characters
8,397 Mintage

2017
Kangaroo
40,636 Mintage

2017
Rooster
24,940 Mintage

2018
Dog
10,072 Mintage

2019
Pig
8,067 Mintage

2021
Brisbane Money Expo
1,500 Mintage

2023
NS&C Expo
2,000 Limit

2024
BICE Show Special
Panda Privy
3,000 Limit

2025
BICE Show Special
Panda Privy
2,500 Limit

2025
ANA Worlds Fair of Money
Bison Privy
2,500 Limit