2016 20c 400th Anniversary of Dirk Hartog's Landfall Frosted Uncirculated Coin in Card

2016 20c 400th Anniversary of Dirk Hartog's Landfall Frosted Uncirculated Coin in Card.Marking 400 years since Dirk Hartog and the crew of theEendrachtmade history as the first recorded European visitors to land on Australian shores, this coin is inspired by the inscribed pewter plate noting their arrival.Symbolic of European-Australian histories, another chapter in the Australia and Dutch East India Company history is told, sure to resonate with history buffs and numismatists alike.For centuries before the arrival of Dirk Hartog and his crew at Shark Bay, Australia was beset with mystery and intrigue.While many burgeoning nations were interested in expanding their empires at the time, not least Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands, the name the land was given (Terra Incognita- Unknown Land) spoke of the challenges colonisation would present.Due to the competitive nature of these countries, each chose to pursue the spice trade throughout Asia, as opposed to exploration of this great land mass. Subsequently many sightings and chartings of various parts of the Australian coastline would be kept secret. After being separated from the fleet, Hartog and his crew cam across the islands of Shark Bay due in some part to serendipity. The gesture of leaving behind their market, the inscribed pewter plate, would mean that their place in history of Australia was assured. This plate was eventually returned to Hartog's home country, the Netherlands, with a replica left in its place.The original 16146 plate remains on display in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.The reverse of the coin is inspired by the original etchings of the Eendracht crew on the flattened pewter plate.The obverse features the translation to English.This rare base metal frosted uncirculated finish, accentuating the graphic qualities of the age-old text inscribed on Hartog's plate.Each coin is packaged in a presentation card, design symbolic of the European-Australian shared histories.The obverse of the coin features Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley.Each coin is issued as Australian legal tender.Denomination :       20cQuality :                 Frosted UncirculatedMetal :                   Cupro NickelWeight :                 11.30 gramsDiameter :              28.52 mmMintage :                20,000Certificate of Authenticity : Royal Australian Mint Official Packaging.