2011 Masterpieces in Silver - 100 Years of the Royal Australian Navy

The Masterpieces in Silver series was produced from 1988 to 2011 by the Royal Australian Mint. This long running coin series was dedicated to Australian themes and events that have shaped Australia as a nation - 100 Years of the Royal Australian Navy

The final addition to the Masterpieces in Silver series was produced in 2011. The 2011 Masterpieces in Silver - Proof sterling six coin set celebrates the proud history and significant contribution of the Royal Australian Navy

No navy can endure for a century without its fleet, but it is the people who have served in the Royal Australian Navy that have made it the well respected force it is today. Entwined in the histories of great ships are the personal stories of men and women who have lived, worked and died aboard vessels defending Australia and its allies. Since 1911 the honour, honesty, courage, integrity and loyalty of our personnel have been the lifeblood of our Navy and the ships in which they serve.

To commemorate this historic milestone the Royal Australian Mint has created six stunning silver proof coins for the Masterpieces in Silver series and for the very first time on a 34 mm coin blank of a $2 denomination.

Each coin design depicts a significant Australian naval ship, each with its very own unique tales of achievement:

• HMAS AE2, one of the very first of the Royal Australian Navy’s submarines, commissioned in 1914 following the outbreak of World War I
• HMAS Australia II, a county class heavy cruiser commissioned in 1928
• HMAS Hobart II, an Adams class guided missile destroyer ordered for the Royal Australian Navy in the 1960s
• HMAS Yarra III, a modified type 12 frigate, commissioned in 1961
• HMAS Sydney III, a veteran of two tours of duty during the Korean War and completed 24 round trips between Australia and Vung Tau during the Vietnam War
• HMAS Armidale II, a patrol boat commissioned in 2005, routinely involved in boarder protection duties

The six coins come handsomely housed in a custom made case with the outer packaging featuring a dynamic image supplied by the Australian War Memorial. This scene is reminiscent of young Australian naval seamen enjoying a moment of downtime between the harsh realities of the high seas.