The legendary “Tasmanian tiger” survives today only in faded memories and black-and-white film. An eternal reminder of this extinct creature is this gold-plated silver coin.

The Tasmanian wolf resembled, at first glance, a large dog with short fur, a stiff tail, and a series of distinct stripes down its back, which earned it the nickname Tasmanian tiger. In reality, however, it was neither a tiger, a dog, nor a wolf, but a marsupial. Nevertheless, it shared a number of remarkable similarities with canids from the Northern Hemisphere. It had a similar body structure, sharp teeth, walked on its toes, and was a predator at the top of the food chain. It roamed the Earth for four million years, but when it encountered humans, its twilight began. Intensive hunting, the spread of dogs, unknown diseases, and environmental disturbances - all of these factors contributed to its extinction. The last known individual died in captivity in 1936, and with it, the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial vanished forever. Or did it? Although it is officially considered extinct, unconfirmed reports of sightings surface from time to time. While some scientists search in vain in the remote corners of Tasmania, others hope to bring the Tasmanian tiger back to life with the help of genetics…

The reverse side of the coin depicts the Tasmanian tiger in the wild. The creature in the foliage stands out thanks to selective gold plating, which contrasts with the black proof finish. The inscription bears TASMANIAN TIGER. Since the coin is issued under license from the island of Niue, its obverse side bears the required attributes, which means a portrait of King Charles III, the nominal value of ONE DOLLAR (NZD), and the year of issue 2026.

The coin, produced by Downies, comes in an elegant case and has a mintage of 750 pieces.