Bird of Paradise Gold

Perth Mint's Short-Lived Gold Tribute to the World's Most Spectacular Birds

The Bird of Paradise series from Perth Mint featured different bird-of-paradise species on .9999 fine gold coins for just two years: 2018 (Victoria's Riflebird) and 2019 (Trumpet Manucode). Each annual release was limited to 5,000 gold coins at 1 oz, making it one of Perth Mint's more restricted gold programmes. With the series now discontinued, remaining inventory circulates on the secondary market at premiums that have climbed above the typical Perth Mint bullion level.

The coins are Australian legal tender under the Australian Currency Act, carrying a $100 AUD face value. They ship in protective capsules with the Perth Mint "P" mintmark on the reverse. The .9999 gold purity matches Perth Mint's flagship Kangaroo programme and the global standard set by the Canadian Maple Leaf.

Birds-of-paradise are among the most extraordinary birds on Earth, renowned for the males' elaborate plumage and ritualistic courtship displays. The Australasian region is the global centre of diversity for these species, with over 40 known, primarily concentrated in New Guinea's tropical forests. The series was intended to work through different species each year, but the cancellation after two issues left vast potential unrealised. Only the Victoria's Riflebird (one of just four species found in mainland Australia, restricted to far north Queensland's rainforests) and the Trumpet Manucode (a New Guinea lowland species) were depicted.

For gold buyers, the Bird of Paradise appeals on two fronts: the gold content provides a metal-value floor, while the limited mintage and discontinued status create potential for numismatic appreciation. The trade-off is lower liquidity than Perth Mint's ongoing programmes; selling will require finding a buyer who values the specific series rather than treating it as generic Perth Mint gold.

Bird of Paradise Gold Specifications

Annual Designs

The 2018 reverse depicts the Victoria's Riflebird executing its dramatic mating display, standing at the edge of a broken branch with wings spread wide and beak open. The 2019 reverse shows the Trumpet Manucode calling from a branch, capturing the species' distinctive vocal behaviour. The obverse on both years carries Ian Rank-Broadley's fourth-generation Queen Elizabeth II portrait (1998 design). A 2019 proof silver version was also produced at a limited mintage of 2,500 pieces.

The series also included silver versions at 1 oz, with a notable distinction: the silver was struck at .9999 purity, not the .999 standard used for most Perth Mint silver bullion. This four-nines silver is shared by only a handful of programmes globally, most prominently the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf. The gold and silver versions share the same annual reverse designs.

Bird of Paradise Gold Tax Treatment

As Australian legal tender coins at .9999 fine gold purity, the Bird of Paradise gold qualifies for investment gold exemptions in all major markets.

Australia: GST-exempt as investment-grade precious metal. The native bird-of-paradise species connection (Victoria's Riflebird is endemic to Queensland) gives the coin particular resonance for Australian collectors, though the tax treatment is the same as any other Perth Mint gold. Capital gains tax applies, with a 50% discount for holdings over 12 months.

United Kingdom: VAT-exempt as investment gold. Subject to capital gains tax on any profit, as Perth Mint coins are not UK legal tender. Pre-owned silver versions from this series have appeared at UK dealers under the margin scheme (VAT-free), which is worth noting for buyers interested in the silver counterpart. For CGT-exempt gold, UK buyers would need to choose the gold Britannia or gold Sovereign.

United States: IRA-eligible. The .9999 purity exceeds the IRS minimum of 99.5% for precious metals IRAs. No federal sales tax; most states exempt investment bullion. Long-term capital gains taxed at the 28% collectibles rate. The coin is available from major US dealers including APMEX, JM Bullion, and Provident Metals.

Canada: GST/HST-exempt at 99.5%+ purity. Capital gains subject to the 50% inclusion rate.

Singapore: Qualifies for IPM GST exemption as legal tender gold at 99.5%+ purity. No capital gains tax.

Hong Kong: No sales tax, import duty, or capital gains tax.

New Zealand: GST-exempt as fine gold at 99.5%+ purity. No formal CGT, though profits from speculative purchases may be taxable.

Two Years, Two Species, Then Gone

The Bird of Paradise programme debuted in 2018 with the Victoria's Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae), one of only four bird-of-paradise species found on mainland Australia. The riflebird is endemic to the Atherton Tableland in northeastern Queensland, where it inhabits tropical rainforests and performs one of the natural world's most extraordinary courtship displays: the male spreads its curved wings into a complete semicircle, creating a dark, velvety shield while swaying rhythmically and snapping its bill. The coin captures this display in fine detail, with the bird poised on a broken branch with wings fully extended.

The 2019 release shifted to the Trumpet Manucode (Phonygammus keraudrenii), a bird-of-paradise found in the lowland forests of New Guinea. The Manucode is unusual among its family: it is monogamous, forming permanent pair bonds, with both parents sharing incubation and chick-rearing duties. Most birds-of-paradise are polygynous, with males performing elaborate solo displays for passing females while contributing nothing to nesting. The Manucode's other distinction is anatomical: an extended windpipe that coils within its chest cavity, functioning like a wind instrument to produce a deep, resonant song that carries through the forest canopy. Designer Jennifer McKenna depicted the bird calling from a branch, capturing this vocal behaviour.

The species was named after the Manucode birds of New Guinea, a group Sir David Attenborough has described as among "the most romantic birds in the world." New Guinea hosts the greatest diversity of bird-of-paradise species (over 30 of the approximately 42 known species), and birds-of-paradise feature prominently on the flag of Papua New Guinea, which displays a Raggiana bird-of-paradise in silhouette.

The series ended after two issues with no further releases announced. Perth Mint has not publicly explained the cancellation. The short run means only two of the 40-plus bird-of-paradise species were featured, leaving considerable unrealised potential for a programme that could have run for decades. The discontinuation has had the predictable effect on the secondary market: both years now trade above the premiums typical for ongoing Perth Mint gold, with the 2019 proof silver (2,500 mintage) being the scarcest item in the programme.

The Victoria's Riflebird was named after Queen Victoria, creating a quietly fitting pairing with a coin bearing Queen Elizabeth II's portrait on its obverse. Distribution was handled through standard Perth Mint dealer channels, with Auragentum, a German bullion distributor, managing the European market.

Bird of Paradise vs Other Perth Mint Gold and Wildlife Coins

Within Perth Mint's own catalogue, the Bird of Paradise competed alongside the Kangaroo, Kookaburra, Koala, Emu, and Wedge-Tailed Eagle. Each programme has its own character, and the Bird of Paradise stood out in two ways: the .9999 silver purity (unusual for Perth Mint silver) and the limited two-year production run.

The Kangaroo is the most relevant comparison for gold buyers. With effectively unlimited mintage, annual design changes, availability in sizes from 1/20 oz to 1 kg, and deep global dealer penetration, the Kangaroo is the default Perth Mint gold bullion coin. Its premiums are lower and its liquidity is incomparably deeper. The Bird of Paradise at 5,000 gold coins per year offers scarcity that the Kangaroo cannot, but at the cost of wider bid-ask spreads on resale. For pure gold accumulation, the Kangaroo is the practical choice. For a collector building a varied Perth Mint gold holding with potential numismatic upside, the Bird of Paradise adds variety and rarity.

Against the Perth Mint Lunar series, the comparison is instructive. The Lunar programme runs on a 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle with strong collector following, particularly in Asian markets. Lunar gold mintages are higher than the Bird of Paradise (typically 30,000 for 1 oz gold), providing better liquidity while still maintaining annual design changes. The Lunar programme has the advantage of a built-in collecting framework (12 animals, collect them all), while the Bird of Paradise's early termination at two issues leaves its collecting arc incomplete.

Against international wildlife gold, such as the South African Big Five or the Canadian Wildlife series (Royal Canadian Mint, 2011-2013), the Bird of Paradise is competitive on purity and Perth Mint's global brand recognition. The Big Five has much lower gold mintages (approximately 500 per design versus 5,000) and proof finishing, placing it further toward the numismatic end. The Canadian Wildlife series is also discontinued and has seen secondary market premiums climb, providing a precedent for what may happen with the Bird of Paradise as remaining dealer inventory is absorbed.

One practical advantage of the Bird of Paradise gold: the .9999 purity qualifies for investment gold exemptions everywhere, including jurisdictions like New Zealand and Singapore where 22-karat coins face GST liability. This is a feature shared with the Kangaroo, Maple Leaf, and Britannia, and is not a unique differentiator.