2016-11-05 Sat

Europe discovered Australia 100 years ago with the help of the Dutch explorer Dirk Hartog. A special coin was issued by Perth mint to celebrate this historic occasion. A $1 coin and a $2.00 stamp cancelled with a postmark from Denham, the administrative town for the Shire of Shark Bay, where Hartog landed, was released.

Hartog was off to the western Java trading city of Bantam when he found Australia. He spent two days in Shark Bay and left an inscribed pewter plate which was discovered many years later. It is considered to be the oldest European object ever found in Australia. The stamp is stuck on an envelope with the Australia Post’s Seal of Authenticity.

The reverse of the coin depicts a telescopic view of a sailing Dirk Hartog ship, the Eendracht, beside a compass rose. Other inscriptions include DIRK HARTOG FIRST LANDING, OCTOBER, 1616, a map outline of Australia, and the Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark. The aluminium bronze coin’s obverse features Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II along with other inscriptions 1 DOLLAR, ELIZABETH II, AUSTRALIA and 2016.