Today's coin reveal post features the 1oz .999 Silver 2014 Australian Stock Horse Coin (Non-carded) struck by the Perth Mint.
1. Coin Story
The year 2014 was the second year that the Australian Stock Horse was issued by the Perth Mint. The coin series ran from 2013 to 2017 after it was commissioned by the large German bullion dealer, EMK Munzen & Edelmetalle.
The 2014 version of the coin was also very popular when it was released, but it never quite reached the same fever pitch level of enthusiasm that the release of the 2013 coin received.
The design of the 2014 coin was liked by many of the silver stackers I know, but some felt that design was not as good as the 2013 version of the coin.
Training an Australian Stock Horse
The training program for your typical Australian Stock Horse takes between two to three years to complete. I am no horse expert by any stretch of the imagination, so I have sourced and para-phrased the high level Australian Stock Horse training program from McArthur Stud Farms Australian Stock Horses website. Their training program is well laid out and simple to follow for a layperson like myself to follow.
The training of the horse starts in their early years and progressively intensifies over time. The preparation of an Australian Stock Horse required a very careful and patient approach. The training of these young horses is not just physical in nature, but require a lot of more complex mental preparation.
Foal - When the horse is a foal the focus of the trainer is to regularly handle the young horse so that it becomes used to human contact.
Weanling - Eventually the young horse will be weaned from its mother, it is at this stage that halter work begins involving pressure and release work, desensitization to sights and sounds, loading the foal into a trailer, handling of feet and legs and basic ground manners. The initial halter work generally occurs indoors, but gradually the weanling will be moved outside into the training ring once it has developed more confidence.
18 Months - After about 18 months of initial training, the young horse will experience its first trip away from the farm. This trip is designed continue the existing traing, with the inclusion of saddle work, moving shoulder/hind work and a deeper focus on building the horses confidence.
2 - 3 years - After 2 years, if the young horse is still showing promise, it will progress to more intensive training over a period of 30 to 60 with a qualified horse trainer. Any further training after the 3 year mark is purely up to the owner's discretion.
2. Coin Packaging
These coins are packaged in individual sealed plastic capsules. Each coin is accompanied by a uniquely numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
3. Coin Details
a. Mintage
The mintage of this coin was 10,000 coins. Each of the coins were issued as legal tender under the authority of the Australian Government with the denomination of $1 (Australian).
Interestly two versions of the coin were issued, the standard non-carded coin with a mintage of 9,000 coins and the carded coin with a mintage of 1,000 coins. My understanding of this situation is that under Australian law it dictates that any currency issued for the country must have a minimum of 10% of its mintage available for the Australia public.
b. Purity
The purity of the coin is .999 fine silver.
c. Details
| Mint/Brand: | The Perth Mint |
|---|---|
| Silver Content: | 1 Troy Ounce |
| Purity: | .999 Fine Silver |
| Denomination: | $1 (Australian) |
| Year of Issue: | 2014 |
| Edge: | Milled |
| Mintage: | 10,000 |
| Diameter: | 40.6mm |
| Thickness: | 4mm |
4. Coin Design
a. Reverse Design
The reverse of the Ing Ing Jong design depicts an Australian Stock Horse galloping in a horse training enclosure on a rural Australian farm. In the background is the typical Australian farm scene with horse fencing and clear skies with a few clouds.
The design includes an inscription 'THE AUSTRALIAN STOCK HORSE', the coin weight '1 OZ', the coin purity '999 SILVER' and the year of issue '2014'.
b. Obverse Design
The obverse of the coin portrays the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The design also includes the inscriptions 'ELIZABETH II', country of origin 'AUSTRALIA' and the denomination '1 DOLLAR' (Australian).
Post authored by @strenue
