2016-02-25 Thu

One of the world’s most poisonous reptiles, Australia’s death adder will now feature a special coin falling under the Deadly and Dangerous series, issued by Perth Mint.

The death adder waits for its prey by covering itself with leaves coiled up in ambush, twitching its tail close to its head. It can go from a waiting position, to striking and envenoming its prey, and back to the waiting position, in less than 0.15 second. The bite of the death adder causes minor paralysis initially; but later in six hours, the venom causes death from complete respiratory shutdown.

The obverse of the coin features the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.