£99.95
Perth Mint released this beautiful Silver Proof Mother of Pearl Shell coin, in 2015
Mother of Pearl is a hard, smooth shining iridescent substance,
that forms the inner layer of shell of certain molluscs such as oyster and abalone.
Australia’s commercial pearling industry began long before European settle.
Aborginals in the northern Western Australia, harvested the abundant pearl shell by hand in shallow waters.
The had such success they had enough surplus shells to engage in international trade, which begin in the late seventeenth century.
The main centres for the pearling industry were Broome, Cossack, Onslow and Shark Bay all in northern Western Australia.
By the time of the Federation in 1901, Broome emerged as a world leader and remained so for the next 100 years.
The reverse of the coin features a sculpted representation of an Australian white mother of pearl shell,
with a polished mother of pearl centre.
The coin comes complete with numbered Certificate Authenticity, box and cardboard outer.
Metal: 99.9% Silver
Weight: 31.135 Grams
Diameter: 36.60 MM
Denomination: One Dollar