My Foreign (Non-U.S.) Bullion Collection

Australia
2011 Australian One Ounce Platinum $100 Platypus Coin I fell in love with the 2011 Australian One Ounce Platinum $100 Platypus Coin (produced by the Perth Mint) the first time I saw it. Aside from the fact that I was interested in purchasing a little platinum for my collection and this was the most affordible option I could find, the reverse proof design just really knocked my socks off. 2011 was the first year this design was produced and features Ian Rank Broadley’s portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse and a platypus on the reverse. It contains 1 oz of .9995 fine platinum bearing a face value of $100 Australian dollars.
2012 Australian One Kilo (32.15 Troy Ounce) Silver $30 Lunar Dragon Coin I wanted to get something commemorating the Chinese Year of the Dragon and felt that the design put out by the Perth Mint was the nicest looking one I saw (I'm a sucker for reverse proof designs). Originally, I was just going to buy a one-ounce coin, but the premium on those coins was truly ridiculous (most places were selling them for $89-99 when silver was trading at $33-34/ounce). The one-kilo coin, on the other hand, while a lot more expensive overall, worked out to only about $37/ounce. I guess the whole "bulk discount" concept works with buying silver coins as much as anything else. In hand, the coin appeared much smaller than I expected. I guess I was expecting it to be very wide and flat, sort of like a dinner plate. Instead, however, it's very thick, measuring approximately 4 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch in height.
2013 Australian One Ounce Silver $1 Kookaburra The obverse of the silver Kookaburra features two Kookaburra (a member of the kingfisher family known for its laugh-like call) sitting on a tree branch with flower blossoms around them.
2013 Australian One Ounce Silver Proof $1 Kangaroo (Opal Series) The "Opal Series" one ounce silver proof coins feature Australia’s favorite nocturnal animals. This Silver Kangaroo, the third in the series, includes an inner panel design of a kangaroo detailed in pure Australian opal. The outer panel of the obverse depicts Sturts Desert Pea leaves and blossoms, a crescent moon and the Southern Cross (a renowned star group which is only visible in the Southern hemisphere). The reverse features a depiction of Queen Elizabeth II and the monetary denomination. Each coin in the Opal series is limited to a mintage of only 8,000.

Austria
2013 Austrian One Ounce Silver Philharmonic The Austrian Silver Philharmonic coin celebrates Austria's rich musical and cultural heritage. Etched from 0.999 fine silver, the obverse features a lovely rendering of the famous great organ in Vienna's fabled Golden Hall, while the reverse features a brilliant display of musical instruments. These coins are produced at the Austrian Mint which has over 800 years of history minting precious metals.

Canada
2012 One Ounce Canadian Silver Maple Leaf with Dragon Privy The Canadian Mint loves to have fun with their bullion coins, producing multiple versions of each type in a bewildering variety. This is a 2012 one ounce "Silver Maple" reverse proof that includes a small dragon emblem (or "privy") on the reverse to commemorate the Chinese Year of the Dragon. I absolutely adore reverse proofs in general, but I'm also quite fond of dragons.
2013 One Ounce Canadian Gold Maple Leaf First minted in 1979 to provide an alternative to the Krugerrand during the boycotts of South Africa, the Maple Leaf immediately became a global sensation. Made of 1 oz of 99.99% pure gold, this coin is produced at the Royal Canadian Mint from Canadian gold. Starting in 1983, the gold Maple Leaf was the world’s first gold bullion coin to be minted at .9999 purity, and has remained at this exceptional quality ever since. 2013 marked the debut of a new anti-counterfeiting measure for the Gold Maple Leaf. Using a special laser, the Royal Canadian Mint micro-engraves a tiny textured maple leaf on the reverse of each coin, with the last two digits of the year of mintage in the center which is visible only under magnification. The obverse features the Susanna Blunt effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, with her name inscribed above. Below the bust is the denomination of 50 Dollars, followed by the date 2013. The reverse features the iconic symbol of Canada, the Maple Leaf. Flanking the leaf to either side is the purity, 9999, while the weight is proclaimed in English and French below: “Fine Gold 1 Oz Or Pur.”

China
2013 One Ounce Chinese Silver Panda The obverse of the 1 oz Silver Panda portrays three lovable and heart-warming Pandas drinking from a pool surrounded by bamboo, while the reverse depicts the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

Fiji
2013 One Ounce Fiji Taku (New Zealand Mint) Produced for the island of Fiji by the New Zealand Mint, the obverse of this one ounce silver coin depicts the endangered Hawksbill Turtle, otherwise known as the Taku, many of which call the waters off the coast of Fiji their home. The reverse features the Fiji Coat of Arms as well as the monetary value of Two Dollars.

Great Britain
2013 One Ounce Silver Britannia Britannia is the ancient personification of the spirit of Britain, and is traditionally depicted with a trident, shield, and helmet. The image of Britannia first appeared on Roman coinage, as early as 119 AD in the reign of Emperor Hadrian. She was revived on coinage in 1659 by Charles II of England in 1672, and has appeared on British coinage ever since.

Mexico
2013 One Ounce Mexican Silver Libertad The Mexican Silver Libertad is the official silver bullion coin by the National Mint of Mexico, also known as Casa de Moneda de Mexico. The obverse depicts the iconic El Angel de la Independencia ("the Angel of Independence"), which is a famous statue located in downtown Mexico City. The Angel holds a laurel leaf in her right hand and a broken chain in her left. Behind her are Popocatepetl and Iztaccihautl, two volcanoes in Mexico. The reverse depicts the Mexican Coat of arms surrounded by national heraldic designs.
2008 Mexican One Kilo (32.15 Troy Ounce) Silver $100 Calendario Azteca The 2008 Mexican Silver Aztec Calendar Silver Kilo coin is one of the most beautiful coins ever produced. The obverse has a proof finish and features a detailed representation of the famous Aztec Calendar. The reverse has a matte finish and depicts the Mexican Coat of arms surrounded by national heraldic designs. The coin is legal tender and bears a denomination of $100 Pesos. This oversized coin had a mintage of only 1000.
Mexican Gold 50 Pesos The oversized Mexican 50 Pesos is an alloy of 90% gold and 10% copper containing 1.2057 oz (37.5 grams) of pure gold. Also known as the Centenario de Oro, it was first issued in 1921 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain by the Casa de Moneda de Mexico (The Mexican Mint). The dates 1921 through 1931 and 1944 through 1947 are regular legal tender issued coins in Mexico, while the 1943 date, also known as "Tejo", is considered a bullion issue. Between 1949 and 1972, the Mexican Mint produced an estimated 4 million restrikes, a coin that was reissued for a number of years with the same date in order to assure it would not gain a numismatic premium. Even though they have a monetary marking of 50 pesos, they are generally considered bullion issues using the original 1947 dated dies. The original coins produced in 1947 are not distinguishable from those produced as restrikes. The obverse design was inspired by the image of Nike, the winged Roman God of Victory. The coin actually depicts the iconic El Angel de la Independencia ("the Angel of Independence"), which is a famous statue located in downtown Mexico City. The Angel holds a laurel leaf in her right hand and a broken chain in her left. Behind her are Popocatepetl and Iztaccihautl, two volcanoes in Mexico. On each side of the winged angel are the dates 1821 - the year in which Mexico gained its independence from Spain - and the date of the coin’s mintage. The reverse depicts a picture of an eagle with a snake in its beak and perched on a cactus, symbolizing Mexico's call to arms. Surrounding the eagle are the words ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS (United Mexican States).

Niue Island

2013 Niue Island Six Ounce Silver Proof $50 "FORTUNA REDUX" Cylinder Coin Minted for Niue Island by the Mint of Poland, the six ounce silver proof $50 "FORTUNA REDUX" is the first coin ever minted in a cylinder shape so as to display a "third side" of the coin. Mintage is limited to only 2500 pieces. The obverse features an image of a gold coin with the effigy of Mercury (the Roman god of tradesmen and travelers) in the foreground and a map of the galaxy in the background. The reverse features an image of Mercury in the foreground next to an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the face value: 50 DOLLARS. In the background is a map of the world with elements symbolized travelling. The rim of the reverse has the inscriptions: 2013 (the year of the issue), NIUE ISLAND (the issuer), Ag 999 (the alloy). The "third side" features a stylized image of Mercury's legs in the foreground with god's wings, with a map of the world with elements symbolized travelling in the background.

South Africa
1974 South African One Ounce Gold Krugerrand The Gold Krugerrand was the first bullion gold coin to be minted in 1 oz increments and marketed for private ownership. The Gold Krugerrand is considered to be the most widely held and actively traded gold bullion coin. The 1 oz Gold Krugerrand was developed by the South African Chamber of Mines on behalf of the South African gold mining industry. South Africa remains one of the primary producers of gold, although output has been declining. The 1 oz Gold Krugerrand is a 22k gold coin but does contain 1 troy ounce of gold. Gold Krugerrands are most noted for the low premium over spot at which they trade and their international recognition among gold bullion investors.