Internationally renowned, the Blue-Breasted Fairy-Wren was a particular favourite of John Gould, the ‘Father of Australian Ornithology’. The iconic naturalist described the bird in 1844, giving it the Latin name Malurus pulcherrimus, with ‘pulcherrimus’ meaning – appropriately enough – ‘very pretty’. Although non-breeding males, females and juveniles are largely grey-brown, the breeding male is adorned with a cornucopia of colours. Arrayed with a bright blue helmet, blue back, and shoulders of chestnut-red, this wonder of nature is distinguished by a dark blue throat and breast, from which it takes its name.

Sure to command the attention of bird-lovers and collectors worldwide, this official legal tender tribute to the Blue-Breasted Fairy-Wren is struck to Proof quality from 1oz of 99.9% pure silver. Spanning 40mm, the crown-sized flan is adorned with a design based on an illustration from John Gould’s The Birds of Australia – the first comprehensive ornithological survey of Australia. As exclusive as it is eye-catching, the limited edition has been restricted to a mere 750.