The Perth Mint's selective gilding program on bullion-adjacent pieces like this one exploits a straightforward metallurgical reality: gold electroplating adheres cleanly to fine silver with minimal preparation, allowing targeted application to raised design elements without contaminating the underlying silver content. The sixth portrait of Elizabeth II — sculpted by Jody Clark and adopted by Australian coinage from 2019 — appears here in its relatively brief window before the queen's death in September 2022 rendered the entire sixth portrait series a closed chapter.
The Perth Mint's selective gilding program on bullion-adjacent pieces like this one exploits a straightforward metallurgical reality: gold electroplating adheres cleanly to fine silver with minimal preparation, allowing targeted application to raised design elements without contaminating the underlying silver content. The sixth portrait of Elizabeth II — sculpted by Jody Clark and adopted by Australian coinage from 2019 — appears here in its relatively brief window before the queen's death in September 2022 rendered the entire sixth portrait series a closed chapter.