The Northern Sky series comes to a stunning conclusion with this beautifully crafted tribute to the constellation of Cygnus.
Coin collectors and astronomy buffs alike will be enamoured by this piece, featuring the same innovative dome shape and colour printing of the two previous releases.
From June to December each year, stargazers in the northern hemisphere can observe the night sky to see the Milky Way and find Cygnus, the 16th largest of the 88 modern constellations. Featuring the famous Northern Cross, it is named after the Latin word for ‘swan’. This graceful celestial bird has crossed generations capturing imaginations and appearing in many a piece of classical folklore.
Before receiving the name Cygnus it was believed to resemble Roc, the huge bird featured in tales of Sinbad the Sailor.
Ancient Greeks told tales of the ever-amorous Zeus disguising himself as a swan to capture the attention of Leda, who then spawned children who were immortalised in swan form in the sky. Many stories also feature mythical characters falling to their demise before pleading with Zeus to transform them into swans.
The Royal Australian Mint will release no more than 5,000 of the 2016 $5 Northern Sky - Cygnus Silver Proof Domed Coin.
Mint | Royal Australian Mint |
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Country Of Issue | Australia |
Year | 2017 |
Denomination | $1 |
Metal Type | Silver |
Weight (g) | 28.349 |
Purity (%) | 99.9 |
Diameter (mm) | 40.00 |
Mintage | 10,000 |