2016 Dirk Hartog Australian Landing 1616 - 2016 $1 PNC

2016 Dirk Hartog Australian Landing 1616 - 2016 $1 PNC

Dirk Hartog (1580-1621) was a seventeenth century Dutch seaman and explorer.

He was appointed master of a ship called the Eendtacht, in a fleet that would voyage from the Netherlands to the Dutch East Indies.

After setting sail in January 1616, the Eendracht became separated from the fleet in a storm and ended up at the Cape of Good Hope, which would later become Cape Town, South Africa.

After leaving the Cape, Hartog sailed across the Indian Ocean bound for Batavia, now known as Jakarta. However, he sailed further east than he meant to and on 25th October 1616 he landed on an island off the coast of Shark Bay, Western Australia. That island is now known as Dirk Hartog Island.

The Perth Mint and Australia Post have released the Dirk Hartog Australian Landing 1616 - Stamp and Coin Cover, to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of Hartog's alighting on Australia in 1616.

Issued as legal tender under the Australian Currency Act 1965, the uncirculated aluminium bronze coin is housed in a beautifully designed card with a circular window revealing the coin's reverse and obverse designs.

The coin's reverse features the representation of the view though a telescope of Dirk Hartog's boat, the Eendracht, sailing across the ocean aside a compass rose.

The design also includes the inscription DIRK HARTOG FIRST LANDING OCTOBER 1616, a map of Australia, and The Perth Mint's 'P' Mintmark.

The Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the monetary denomination, and the 2016 year-date are featured on the coin's reverse.

Affixed to the envelope is an official Australia Post $2.00 stamp. The stamp is postmarked for the first day of issue and the envelope includes Australia Post's Seal of Authenticity.

Post Marked First Day of Issue : 13 September 2016. Denham WA 6537