This coin the first in the series by Royal Australian Mint is selling for $ 500 + on ebay, what a sleeper, nice coin.
they are gone by now but seriously who would pay that much for it when silver is that low.... :/ and if Im correct(usually I am) the series is finished with the 3rd coin this year...not much of a series...
this coin has be totally underestimated - the design and art work (even the plastic capsule is concave) is quiet unique, anyway it has out performed most of the Perth Mint proofs.
I was in two minds when they came out. Like the shape, packaging and general concept but didn't like the blue stick on. It is a bit of a copy of the earlier release French coin in 2009 and last franc 2001. I remember Peter Strich had a few unsold when first released. I have got a soft soft for curved coins so have a few of each of them. Happy that they have gone up in value but keeping them for the next generation.
Hi digoxin, no offence to you or the French but that coin is an insult to Astronomy - yes the French coin is concave and it has foot print ( or maybe its something more meaningful ) on one side and a conglomeration of stars and a planet with rings. This French coin is ok ( the price reflects its true value ) but Royal Australia Mint - Southern Sky Coin is way better , my pictures above do not present the true beauty and details of this coin, anyway that's just my opinion.
I also like the subtle technical detail on the CRUX coin. You will notice that the East and West marking on the coin at first appear incorrect, that is of course if the coin is orientated to a compass North. If the coin is orientated in the same way the Southern Cross was viewed by navigators of the day, i.e. held to the sky, you actually now have a compass in your hand. It also has the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates around the perimeter - Nice if your into astronomy...
Sky maps and atlases, planetarium software etc all use this convention because otherwise things just don't make sense.