Which country has the biggest coin

The question of which country has the biggest coin has gotten complicated with all the commemorative mega-coins mints keep producing. As someone who’s followed the “biggest coin” race for years, I learned everything there is to know about oversized coins and who actually holds the record. Today, I will share it all with you.

The answer is Australia. And honestly, it’s not even close.

The Perth Mint’s One-Tonne Gold Coin

In 2011, the Perth Mint unveiled a gold coin that weighs one metric tonne. Let that sink in for a second — a single coin weighing 2,204 pounds. It’s made from 99.99% pure gold, measures about 80 centimeters (roughly 31 inches) across, and is over 12 centimeters thick. I saw photos when it was first announced and genuinely thought it was a publicity stunt. It wasn’t.

The coin features a red kangaroo mid-leap on the reverse, designed by Dr. Stuart Devlin, who served as goldsmith and jeweler to the Queen. The obverse carries the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, standard for Australian legal tender. And yes, it is actual legal tender — with a face value of 1 million Australian dollars, though the gold content makes it worth vastly more than that.

Why Did They Make It?

Probably should have led with this section, honestly. The Perth Mint created this monster coin to promote their new series of smaller kangaroo-themed gold bullion coins. It was a marketing play, and it worked spectacularly. The coin attracted international media attention and put their kangaroo bullion series on the map for investors and collectors worldwide.

What It Says About Australia’s Minting Capabilities

Australia is one of the world’s major gold-producing nations, and the Perth Mint has been operating since 1899. Producing a one-tonne gold coin at 99.99% purity required serious technical skill — maintaining that level of purity at that scale is not trivial. The fact that they pulled it off speaks to the caliber of their operation.

The Perth Mint has built a reputation for pushing boundaries in coin production. They’ve produced some of the most innovative coins in the world, from colored coins to coins with embedded meteorite fragments. The one-tonne kangaroo is the most dramatic example, but it fits a broader pattern of ambition.

Has Anyone Challenged the Record?

Not meaningfully, no. A few mints have produced large coins since 2011, but nothing approaching a full metric tonne of gold. The cost alone puts it out of reach for most national mints — at current gold prices, the raw material for a coin like this would run well over $50 million. That’s not counting the labor, equipment, and logistics involved in casting and striking it.

For now, Australia’s one-tonne gold coin stands alone at the top, and I’d be surprised if any other country seriously tried to top it. When you’re competing against a literal tonne of gold, the barrier to entry is steep.