Two shimmering koi — one embellished with 78 Argyle Pink Diamonds hand-set in 18-karat rose gold and the other fashioned from 80 white diamonds hand-set in 18-karat white gold — seem to slither upon the surface of The Perth Mint’s latest 3D “Jewelled” coin. Each fish has two Argyle golden diamonds for eyes.
Priced at $197,360 (AUD $262,800), The Jewelled Koi of 2022 represents the fifth in a series of highly collectible coins that have included the 2018 Jewelled Phoenix, 2019 Jewelled Dragon, 2020 Jewelled Tiger and 2021 Jewelled Horse.
The koi is widely considered to be a lucky omen for marriage, fertility, prosperity and wealth. The Perth Mint will limit the production of this coin to eight pieces, which is significant because eight is the luckiest number in Chinese culture.
According to The Perth Mint, koi have been selectively bred for decades to create fish that are said to shine like diamonds — living jewels. Fittingly, the diamond-studded koi are immortalized on a coin fabricated from 10 ounces of 99.99% pure gold.
For the first time ever, a "Jewelled" coin features a combination of pavé-set fine white diamonds and ultra-rare Argyle Pink Diamonds as part of its gleaming and intricate design.
Each coin is presented in a luxury cabinet-style case, featuring double doors adorned with 18-karat gold furnishings and two additional Argyle Pink Diamonds.
The pink and purplish-pink diamonds used in the coin's design were sourced at the now-depleted Argyle mine in Western Australia. The mine, which had been the world's leading source of pink diamonds, was shuttered in November of 2020. Each of the colored diamonds has a color rating of fancy intense to fancy vivid.
The approximate carat weight of the fancy colored diamonds is 1.26 carats, while the white diamonds total 1.18 carats and the golden diamonds weigh a total of 0.08 carats.
Measuring 61 mm (2.4 inches) across, the proof-quality coin’s reverse artistry includes the the dimensional fish, the Chinese character for koi, the inscription THE JEWELLED KOI and The Perth Mint’s traditional “P” mintmark.
The obverse features the Jody Clark effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the weight and fineness, the “2500 DOLLARS” monetary denomination, “AUSTRALIA,” the Queen’s name and the year 2022.
Credits: Images courtesy of The Perth Mint.