The Gold Nugget was introduced in 1986 by the Gold Corporation, a company wholly owned by the government of Western Australia. Gold Kangaroos have been produced by Perth Mint since 1996 and are one of the purest gold coins in the world at .9999 purity. The Nugget is minted in weights of 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, 1 oz, 2 oz, 10 oz and 1 kg.

The motif of the Nugget varies from year to year, giving the coins a slightly higher numismatic value over their bullion value.

The obverse of the Gold Kangaroo features queen Elizabeth II and the reverse has a picture of the iconic Australian kangaroo.

The coins are legal tender in Australia, and the 1/2 oz Nugget has a face value of  A$50.