The pink diamond has become a symbol of the sun setting behind the famous 1500-year-old baobab in a gold coin presented at Australia's oldest mint.
Each coin, limited to just 500 pieces, is hand-encrusted with a 0,04-carat pink diamond. This is the first time that a diamond has been part of the design of an Australian legal tender gold coin.
And it should be noted that this is not the first case in recent times when this country surprises us with its love for outstanding coins: one need only recall a huge gold coin made of gold, whose weight was a whole ton.
However, the diamond "baby" attracts attention, of course, not by its scale. Named the Kimberley Sunset, the amazing 57 gram coin is a tribute to the Kimberley region of Australia, where stunning sunsets light up the sky in vibrant pinks, oranges, reds, purples and blues.
Sunsets aren't the only thing Kimberley is famous for, though - it's also home to Rio Tinto's Argyle Mine, which produces 90% of the world's pink diamond market. The mine is expected to be closed in about 5 years.
The 22 carat pink coins are made from an alloy that is 91,67% gold and 8,33% copper (copper gives the coin a pinkish tint). Each coin contains exactly 56 grams of pure gold.
Each coin has a quality certificate and a denomination of $500, but its purchase will cost $6000.
On the obverse of the coin there is a high relief of a spreading baobab, famous, in addition to its unusual appearance, for the fact that it can live in the Australian open spaces for 1500 years or more. The pink diamond is set directly above the horizon on the left side of the coin. The rays of the sun engraved in the metal emanate from the precious stone. Around the idyllic landscape, the obverse border is carved in gold with the name of the coin, “Kimberley Sunset”, minted in 2015, as well as the notation “two ounces of pure gold”.
The reverse of the coin features a portrait of Elizabeth II designed by engraver Ian Rank Broadley, girded with the name of the Queen, the country of origin of the coin and its face value of $500.
Each coin is sold in a black designer case and comes with several certificates of authenticity.
