Australia 50 Cents Silver Coin 2009 Leafy Sea Dragon - Australian Sea Life
Australian waters host some of the most famous reef systems in the world. From spectacular tropical corals to towering forests of kelp, these dynamic environments are teeming with aquatic life.
Celebrating five fascinating reef dwellers, this stunning collector series now includes a release portraying Leafy Sea Dragon.
REVERSE
The coin’s reverse portrays a Leafy Sea Dragon in colour. With leaf-like appendages for camouflage, these beautiful fish display remarkable parenting behaviour. After the female develops her eggs, the male takes responsibility for incubating them under his tail. Between 30 and 40cm in length, Leafy Sea Dragons are endemic to temperate waters around southern Australia. The coin’s reverse also incorporates The Perth Mint’s historic ‘P’ mintmark.
OBVERSE
Issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965, the coin bears the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the 2009 year-date on the obverse.
Country: Australia.
Year: 2009.
Face value: 50 Cents.
Metal: Silver.
Fineness .999.
Weight: 1/2 Oz (15.50g).
Diameter: 36.60 mm.
Thickness: 2.30 mm.
Mintage: 10,000 pcs.
Finish: Proof.
PACKAGING
Each coin is accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. Each coin is housed in a presentation case which comes in a colourfully illustrated box-shipper. When lined-up in release order, the shipper illustrations form a linked image depicting all five reef creatures.
Perth Mint - Australian Sea Life Series
Moray Eel Leafy Sea Dragon
Leafy seadragon
The leafy seadragon or Glauert's seadragon, Phycodurus eques, is a marine fish in the family Syngnathidae, which includes seadragons, pipefish, and seahorses. It is the only member of the genus Phycodurus.
It is found along the southern and western coasts of Australia. The name is derived from the appearance, with long leaf-like protrusions coming from all over the body. These protrusions are not used for propulsion; they serve only as camouflage. The leafy seadragon propels itself by means of a pectoral fin on the ridge of its neck and a dorsal fin on its back closer to the tail end. These small fins are almost completely transparent and difficult to see as they undulate minutely to move the creature sedately through the water, completing the illusion of floating seaweed.
Popularly known as "leafies", it is the marine emblem of the state of South Australia and a focus for local marine conservation.