Australia 50 Cents Silver Coin 2010 Moray Eel - 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 a Moray Eel.
REVERSE
The coin’s reverse portrays a Moray Eel in colour. Contrary to the impression given by its snake-like body, long sharp teeth and open-mouth, the Moray Eel is not an aggressive fish. Although capable of delivering a nasty bite, its mouth is generally open so that water can pass over its gills. 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: 2010.
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. Like previous coins in this series, the Moray Eel coin is housed in a presentation case which comes in a colourfully illustrated shipper. When lined-up in release order, the shippers form a linked image depicting all five inhabitants of the reef.
Perth Mint - Australian Sea Life Series
Moray Eel Leafy Sea Dragon
Moray eel
Moray eels or Muraenidae are a family of cosmopolitan eels. The approximately 200 species in 15 genera are almost exclusively marine, but several species are regularly seen in brackish water, and very few are found in fresh water.
The smallest moray is likely Snyder's moray (Anarchias leucurus), which attains a maximum length of 11.5 cm (4.5 in), while the longest species, the slender giant moray (Strophidon sathete) reaches up to 4 m (13 ft). The largest in terms of total mass is the giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus), which reaches 3 m (9.8 ft) in length and 30 kg (66 lb) in weight.
The English name, from the early 17th century, derives from the Portuguese moréia, which itself derives from the Latin mūrēna, in turn from the Greek muraina, a kind of eel.