A Wedge-Tailed Eagle on Silver: The 2026 Perth Mint Coloured Coin

There's something about the wedge-tailed eagle that makes it an obvious subject for a coin. It's Australia's largest bird of prey and one of the biggest eagles in the world. With a wingspan of up to 2.8 metres, it soars on thermal currents and frequently reaches altitudes above 2,000 metres. It's hard to miss, harder to ignore, and it has a face that holds detail well at coin scale. 

The 2026 Perth Mint release gets the design right. The coloured reverse features a close-up portrait of the eagle, capturing its piercing eyes, powerful hooked beak, and intricate feather detail. It's the kind of design that works because it doesn't try to do too much — one bird, one tight framing, sharp colour on 99.99% pure silver. 

The designer is worth knowing

This is the 11th Australian Wedge-tailed Eagle design for The Perth Mint by John M. Mercanti, the 12th Chief Engraver of the US Mint. Mercanti has sculpted more coin and medal designs than any other engraver in that organisation's history. His work on this series is consistent and recognisable. If you've followed previous releases in the Perth Mint's eagle series, you'll know what his treatment of the bird looks like. If you haven't, this is a good entry point. 

The practical details

The coin is struck from 1oz of 99.99% pure silver, is Australian legal tender at $1 face value, and has a worldwide mintage of 2,500. That's genuinely limited — not the kind of number that sounds exclusive but isn't. 

It comes housed on an illustrated collector card with a fold-out leg for upright display. No extra case needed. It sits on a desk or shelf without fuss, which matters if you're buying this as a gift rather than adding it to a storage box. 

Who this suits

Wildlife coin collectors are the clear audience, but this also works for anyone who collects Perth Mint releases or follows Mercanti's work across mints. At 2,500 worldwide, there's genuine scarcity here — the kind that tends to matter once a series closes out.

You'll find it at Mint Coin Shop.