2924) "Yongka" (Kangaroo), Australia: Perth Mint, Australia has issued a $2 (Two Dollars - AUS) Silver Coin which features this emblematic Australian marsupial which coexisted with the Aboriginals for tens of thousands of years and features prominently in their "Dreamtime" - the period in which Life was created: Year of Coin issue: 2023:
The Perth Mint has released its second silver two-ounce silver double-crown silver coin, which features original artwork of one of Australia’s more renowned indigenous artists, Kevin Bynder.
The latest coin portrays an iconic symbol of this island continent with one of the world’s most unique wildlife.
In Aboriginal Folklore:
During the past 250 years, the Kangaroo has been recognised worldwide as Australia’s most emblematic animal.
For tens of thousands of years, the remarkable marsupial lived alongside Australian Aboriginals, for whom it has always had enormous cultural and spiritual significance.
The Kangaroo features prominently in "Dreamtime", the period in which life was created according to Aboriginal culture and other traditional stories handed down by Aboriginal people from generation to generation.
Some communities consider the kangaroo a totem, the subject of sacred beliefs and an important affirmation of their cultural identity. Kangaroos were integral to aboriginal people’s way of life, providing meat for sustenance, and skins that were made into protective cloaks.
Early images of the "Kongouro" (or "Gangurru") from New Holland (as 17th-century Dutch navigators/explorers had named Australia), also recorded the illustrations of this fascinating animal.
The absolute oddity of a hopping marsupial was clearly beyond their descriptive ability and, ultimately resulted in constant comparisons to cats, dogs, rats, and raccoons.
It was only in 1711 when Dutch artist Cornelis de Bruijn (1652–1727) made the first confirmed depiction of a hopping marsupial, his sketches accurately illustrating the kangaroo’s distinctive pouch that made the mammal even more of a fascination to the outside world.
An interesting interpretation:
We were watching a rerun of the movie "Arrival" (2016) on Amazon Prime and came across the word "Kangaroo" being mentioned as having an Australian aboriginal meaning of "I don't know" or "I don't understand".
This got me to research a bit on the origin of the word "Kangaroo."
A widely held belief has it that the word "Kangaroo" comes from an Australian Aboriginal word meaning "I don't know" which is not correct.
The word "Kangaroo" was also recorded in 1770 by Captain James Cook, when he landed to make repairs to his ships along the northeast coast of Australia, while interacting with the local people.
In 1820, another maritime explorer Captain Phillip K. King recorded a different word for the animal, written "mee-nuah."
As a result, it was assumed that Captain Cook had been mistaken, and the myth grew up that what he had heard was a word meaning "I don't know" (presumably as the answer to a question in English that had not been understood by the locals).
There is indeed a word - "gangurru" - in the northeast Aboriginal language of "Guugu Yimidhirr", referring to a species of Kangaroo.
The Coin:
This Crown Silver antiqued and colourised Coin features an original-coloured painting of a Kangaroo by Kevin Bynder, a Whadjuk-Yuet-Ballardong man whose original works are inspired by Western Australia’s natural environment.
The images also reflect the history and knowledge of Bynder’s people, who have lived in Nyoongar country for tens of thousands of years.
The Reverse of the $2 (Two Dollars - AUS) Antiqued and colourised Silver Coin represents "Yongka", whose "Booka", (or skin), is decorated with cultural motifs.
The Yongka is bounding through green grass and ochre rocks of the "Boodjar" (the lands of the Nyoongar Nation), with orange, brown, and yellow colouring together with "Katta Morda" (also known as "Darling Range") in the background.
Overhead, the gradually darkening evening sky is portrayed in turquoise, blue, and black dots, each representing a "Djinda" (the aboriginal word for star).
Also seen is the Perth Mint’s "P" mintmark (in the centre right quarter).
The Obverse of the $2 (Two Dollars - AUS) Antiqued Silver Coin includes an effigy of her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022), along with the years of her reign, 1952 and 2022.
Below the Queen’s image are the specifications of the coin "2oz 9999 Ag", along with the denomination "2 DOLLARS". The year "2023" is also seen.
The specifications of the Silver Antiqued Coin are:
Country: Australia; Date/Year of Coin issue: 2023; Denomination: $2 (Two Dollars - AUS); Coin Theme: "YONGKA (Kangaroo)"; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 2.00 Oz or 62.2 grams; Diameter/Size: 50.80 mm; Coin Quality: Antique Finish (AF), Oxidised surface; Mint: Perth Mint, Australia; Mintage: 2,000 pieces; Designer: Kevin Bynder (Reverse).
- Each coin is housed in a contemporary framed latex custom case enabling viewing of both sides within an illustrative outer protective box and is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
- The Perth Mint will donate AUD 10,000 from the proceeds of the sale of this coin to Wungening Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation which provides culturally secure, confidential, and free-of-charge services to Aboriginal people in the Perth metropolitan area.
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