2020 $1 Silver Proof Selectively Gold Plated Coin 'C' Mintmark - Eureka! Australia's Gold Rush

The discovery of gold in Australia set off a wild chain of events that ultimately led to Federation and the development of modern Australia. Among the many stories of the Gold Rush was the thrilling 1869 discovery of the enormous Welcome Stranger nugget by two fortunate Cornish miners. Stories like theirs enticed thousands of hopeful prospectors to settle in Australia.

The Welcome Stranger was the discovery of miners John Deason and Richard Oates, seasoned gold prospectors hoping to find their fortune in Victoria. They were working in Bulldog Gully, near Moliagul in Central Victoria. On the morning of 5 February 1869, Deason was working around the roots of a tree when his pick struck something hard a few centimeters beneath the surface, and broke. He is purported to have exclaimed in annoyance ‘I wish it was a nugget’.
It turned out to be a single nugget of alluvial gold that weighed around 70kg. This extraordinary discovery, estimated to be worth millions in today’s money, encouraged thousands of hopeful prospectors to come to Australia to try their luck. The excitement and drama of the Gold Rush has inspired this 2020 $1 ‘C’ mintmark silver coin, featuring selective gold plating.

• The third of a three-year theme of Colonial Australia
• Displayed in a presentation case with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity
• Mintage 5500
• Coin’s reverse design reflects the exciting and wild period of Australia’s Gold Rush
• Coin’s obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II designed by Jody Clark
• Australian legal tender