Australia 2013 60th Anniversary of the Korean War $1
It's now 60 years since the Korean War armistice was signed. A special day of remembrance is held annually on United Nations Day, Thursday 24th October with a special service held at the Australian National Korean War Memorial on Anzac Parade, Canberra. To commemorate this auspicious occasion, the Royal Australian Mint has produced two $1 coins, in aluminium bronze and fine silver proof. In 2003 the 50th Anniversary was commemorated with a similar 1 dollar coin release.
Even though the Korean War is often called the "Forgotten War" (mostly because World War II, Vietnam and Desert Storm wars take the limelight) we should still remember and pay homage to the "17,000 Australian sailors, solders and airmen who served; 358 Australians who died (340 in battle, the majority buried at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, Busan, Korea; 18 killed whilst serving in Korea after the war; 1,216 wounded; 29 prisoners of war; and 43 still listed as missing in action".
It's also referred to as the "Korean Conflict" as neither side ever declared war - the North just invaded the South. Nor has this war really ended - the Korean Armistice Agreement was a "ceasefire" with both sides agreeing to end "all acts of armed force" until a "final peaceful settlement" was found. They're obviously still looking ....
A few interesting facts have arisen out of the Korean War:
It's the last time that Australian volunteers were called for an overseas military intervention.
The Korean War saw the rise to prominence of Australia's first Indigenous commissioned officer - Reg Saunders of Portland, Western Victoria.
Australian war correspondent, Wilfred Burchett was accused of treason because he wrote about the war from the North's side of the front.
During this war, the helicopter was used in warfare for the first time. It was also the war in which jet airplanes saw widespread use for the first time, replacing propeller-driven aircraft with P-80 Shooting Stars and Soviet MiG-15's.
The 38th Parallel, the demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea today and a no man's land, was first proposed in 1896 by the Japanese government (who controlled the South) to the Russian government (who controlled the North).
The 38th Parallel because of it's isolation, has been recognized as one of the most well-preserved temperate habitats in the world, despite heavily fortified fences and landmines. This area is home to several endangered animals, namely the red-crowned & white-naped cranes, Korean tiger, Amur leopard and Asiatic black bear.
The world-renowned television series M*A*S*H produced during the Vietnam War, follows a team of field doctors and support staff of the "4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital" during the Korean War (based on the 1968 novel "MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors" by Richard Hooker). The series' clever script writing was able to make comparisons and commentary about the futility of war without actually protesting about war - groundbreaking television for it's time.
The 25 millimetre $1 NCLT (non-circulating legal tender) 60th Anniversary Korean War coin has been minted in two coin choices:
1) In uncirculated aluminium bronze, with an unique 60th Anniversary of the Korean War display package; retailing at $13.50. This issue weighs 9 grams and has the same specifications as a dollar coin you'd find in your change. The mintage of this coin will be determined by collector demand, see the 2013 1 dollar issues and mintages table for the most up to date mintage numbers.
2) In proof fine silver, with a unique boxed presentation, retailing at $55.00. Because of the differing composition in .999 fine silver this coin weighs 11.66g. It's mintage is capped at 5,000 coins.
The reverse design by Aaron Baggio depicts a dove in flight, with the word 'peace' in Korean, with the obverse portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Ian Rank-Broadley. Interestingly the coins denomination 'one dollar' appears on the obverse of the coin on this issue.
Posted by harrisk at October 16, 2013 9:23 AM
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