1 Dollar - Elizabeth II 4th Portrait - Australian Kookaburra - Silver Set

The Australian Kookaburra silver series, running since 1990, changes its reverse design annually — a deliberate policy by the Perth Mint to drive collector demand through artificial scarcity of each year's design. The 2009 issue was struck at a time when silver bullion demand was surging in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, pushing mintages on premium issues sharply higher than the program's earlier years. Perth's .999 fineness standard has remained consistent throughout, which is worth noting given that several competing national programs quietly adjusted tolerances during the same period.