At the 17 September 2015 meeting of the NSSA a member showed the item imaged above. This uniface item is 25mm in diameter, weighs 7.3g and is silver plated copper. It is a uniface facsimile of a 1994 1/2oz platinum Koala coin manufactured by the Perth Mint for their “Portfolio Boards”. This was confirmed by the Perth Mint recently when images of the item were forwarded to their marketing department.
The Portfolio Boards were given to Perth Mint distributors to display the Perth Mint’s range of precious metal bullion coins, gold Kangaroos, platinum Koalas, and silver Kookaburras. The boards included full sized uniface facsimiles of the entire bullion coin range and brochure holders. The facsimile gold Kangaroos were gold plated copper, platinum Koalas silver plated copper, and silver Kangaroos silver plated aluminium. You see these uniface facsimiles for sale from time to time on eBay and in auction houses mis-identified as “uniface trial strikes” or “uniface off metal trial strikes” where in actual fact, they are advertising pieces. Certainly an interesting curiosity but not a trial or pattern strike.