The Royal Australian Mint has produced a silver kangaroo piece every year since 1993. This was the third curpro-nickel piece minted as part of the series. It was produced to provide a more affordable entry point to for collectors who appreciated the designs. The reverse was designed by the iconic Australian artist Ken Done and features a kangaroo against the backdrop of Uluru and the surrounding desert with the denomination "ONE DOLLAR". The obverse houses the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II with the legend "ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2009".
The Kangaroo is probably Australia's most iconic animal. It is a marsupial mammal with over sixty different species ranging from the large Red Kangaroo to the small Wallabies. The Red Kangaroo is the largest marsupial in the world and can weigh up to 90 kilograms. Kangaroos of differing species can be found all across Australia whether the climate is cold or hot and in desert or tropical areas. Some can even be found on beaches whilst others live in trees. All kangaroos are herbivorous, eating a range of plants and shrubs and most are nocturnal but some are active in the early morning and late afternoon. The Kangaroo, along with the Emu, were selected as symbols of Australia and are featured on the official Australian coat of arms.