2014 Southern Sky Orion $5 Domed Silver Proof Coin
Finally after a somewhat delayed release date the third and final coin in the Royal Australian Mint’s award winning series Southern Sky was released on August 4. Featured on its Reverse is the Orion constellation originally named after a Greek hunter. The constellation itself sits on the celestial equator and is therefore visible from both the northern and southern hemispheres making it one of the best known around the world.
This of course has a direct bearing on the popularity of the coin within the collectors market. Â North American, African and European collectors will be greatly enthused to gain ownership of this coin given that the constellation is relevant to their own geographical position. Â This makes this release a very good investment on the worldwide numismatics market and it may well see its popularity equaling that of the 2012 Crux release.
The previous release “Pavo” continues to do well and it is not beyond reason that this release may just be the most popular of the three.
As with the previous two coins they come in a rubberized metal case with plush style interior. The coin can be stood up on edge for display within the case. The only small downside on the packaging is that the vulvanised rubber coating the tins has become sticky with storage. It has something to do with the rubber sweating. It is widely reported by purchasers world wide. Neverthless it is the coin housed inside that has the real value.Â
Certificate of Authenticity included. Â Certificate numbers may vary from pictures.
Design
Coin Specifications:
The reverse design of the coin is color printed on a concave surface, which provides a fabulous display of the Orion constellation framed within a compass designed border.
The obverse is convex and includes the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, along with the legal tender face value and date of issue.
Packaged in a specially designed presentation tin with a special insert which permits you to stand the coin upright for display..
Denomination – $5
Metal – Silver  99.9 percent
Diameter – 39.62mm
Mass – 1 troy ounce
Finish – Proof
Design –Â aron Baggio
Mintage – 10,000
Mint –Â Â The Royal Australian Mint
History
Around the world Orion has several features that have been apart of mythology and navigation for millennia. What we refer to in Australia as “The Big Dipper” is referred to in Germany as “Der Topf” or the saucepan. Â Orion’s Belt is also widely referred to in global cultures.
Orion’s seven brightest stars form a highly distinctive hourglass-shaped pattern in the night sky. Four main stars being Rigel, Betelgeuse, Bellatrix and Saiph form a large roughly rectangular shape. Â In the centre of this frame work lie the three stars which make up Orion’s Belt, these being Alnilam, Alnitak and Mintaka. Beneath the ‘belt’ is a much smaller line of three more stars which form what is referred to as Orion’s Sword. Alninam which is the middle of the 3 stars is in actual fact not a star but the Orion Nebula which lies 1359 light years from us as opposed to Bellatrix which is only 243. The disparity between the sizes and distances make Alninam look tiny or like a star and not the nebula that it is.
In the Southern Hemisphere we observe that the form of “The Hunter” is upside down or if you like standing on his head. This in turn places the sword in a skyward posistion from the belt which is what we call “The Big Dipper”.
