$1 2015 Unlikely Heroes Great & Small - Complete set of 6

The first two al/bronze one dollar coins to be represented in a new six coin Unlikely Heroes - Great and Small series are Murphy The Donkey and a Feline Mascot of the HMAS Encounter.

The reverse design of this $1 features a modern interpretation of an Australian war hero: The feline mascot of the HMAS Encounter peering out of the cannon surrounded by a colour printed barometric scale typical of weather reading instruments.

The third and fourth al/bronze uncirculated one dollar coins to be represented in a new six coin Unlikely Heroes - Great and Small series are Shake the Kangaroo and Horrie the Dog.

During WWII many kangaroos travelled to the battlefields with soldiers becoming mascots for a number of regiments. One special kangaroo became the star of a photograph in which he was shaking hands with an Australian soldier near the Egyptian pyramids. This was a powerful image of battlers connecting with home and the kangaroo earned the nickname Shake.

In Egypt 1941 private Jim Moody VX13091 of the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion discovered a puppy in the Ikingi Mariut area of the Western Desert. The dog was named Horrie and used a distinctive bark to warn the battalion that the enemy was approaching. He was given the service number EX1 and travelled to Greece Crete Palestine and Syria before being smuggled into Australia.

The final two al/bronze uncirculated one dollar coins to be represented in the Unlikely Heroes - Great and Small series are the Blue Chequer Cock (Pidgeon) and Sandy the War Horse.

During World War II when Australia was fighting alongside the USA the Japanese attacked a US Marine patrol on Manus Island. The soldiers needed help but their radio had failed. With pigeon power as their only hope DD.43.Q.879 had to face the danger when two other pigeons had already been shot down. Against the odds he reached HQ with this important message and help was dispatched to save the patrol. 

During World War I 6100 Australian horses were deployed overseas. 'Walers' was the name given to horses used by the Australian Imperial Force in Magdhaba and Beersheba throughout the Middle East Campaign. Of the 6100 'Walers' who fought alongside our soldiers only one horse completed his journey back home: Sandy the War Horse.

Complete Set of 6 carded coins