40th Anniversary of the Australian Nugget Gold Coin Program 2026 1oz Silver Proof Gilded Coin

When the Australian Nugget launched in 1986, it marked a significant moment in Australian minting history — the first legal tender gold coin program produced by The Perth Mint since sovereign production ended in 1931. Struck in four denominations with designs by world-renowned Australian goldsmith and numismatic designer Stuart Devlin, the series celebrated the historic natural gold nuggets that shaped Australia's identity.

Forty years on, this silver proof coin with 24-carat gold gilding honours that legacy.

Devlin's reverse centres on the Welcome Stranger — the largest gold nugget ever recorded. Unearthed by prospectors John Deason and Richard Oates at Moliagul, Victoria in February 1869, the find weighed 2,284 ounces, too large for the scales and broken into three pieces before it could be weighed. The nugget and outer rim are gilded in 24-carat gold, set against a line drawing of the Australian continent and encircled by stylised sun rays. The nugget's name, a special 'P40' anniversary mintmark, the inscription 'THE AUSTRALIAN NUGGET', and the coin's weight, purity, and 2026 year-date complete the design.