Towards the end of 1994, the Australian Government gave instructions to the Perth Mint to print a palladium coin series. In October 1995, the first series of 40 AU$ palladium emu coin was issued in proof quality. The following year (1996), a bullion edition, which bore the motif of the proof edition of the previous year, was also issued. The cache was packed in capsules and sold by the Mint for 110% of the actual price of palladium at the time of issue.
Palladium coins are a form of currency produced from the rare white transition metal called Palladium and are widely accepted internationally as a form of currency. The coins are popular with collectors for several reasons. One of them is history and with most coins telling their own unique and distinctive story, it helps us all understand recognize the past better. While other collectors may just want to amass Palladium Emu coins in the hope that the value will go up over time.
The Australian proof issue of the Palladium Emu was sold in a distinctive black box that included a certificate for a fixed price with offers between AU$350 and AU$425. Annual maximum mintage was set at 5000 pieces in BU quality and 2500 pieces in proof quality. But for some unexplained reasons, not all coins were minted in the maximum set quantities. One reason attributed to the shortfall in 1998 was the blockage of palladium deliveries by the Russian Government, which resulted in a sharp increase in the price of metal due to low availability.
When the price of palladium doubled in 1998, the Perth Mint suspended the Emu series. The beautiful Australian Emu Palladium Coin is quite rare and one of the most coveted billion issues in the world and was only printed between 1995 and 1998. Four different coins were imprinted and variations were done on the Emu, a flightless bird for every coin. The four coins, with proof of bullion, are one troy ounce of 99.95% pure palladium with one face value.
