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Australian Gold Lunar Coins
Steeped into symbolism and tradition, the Australian gold coins are sure to add value to your coin collection. The Lunars are based on the Chinese zodiac and have become one of the most popular coin series in the recent years. The Chinese zodiac is based on the year of birth rather than the birth date or month. There is the presence of twelve different animals in the zodiac and the Australian Lunars feature these animals on the reverse side of the coins. The unique features of the Lunars have managed to drive a large section of gold enthusiasts towards the coin market. Here is a brief overview of Australian Gold Lunars to help you learn about these coins.
A Peep into the Chinese Zodiac History
China has officially adopted the Gregorian calendar but the Lunar calendar continues to be popular within the Chinese culture. It is believed by the natives that each animal has a profound influence on the personality of the person born under the rule of the particular animal. As per the Chinese legend, twelve animals had a fight regarding who would head the cycle of years. They turned towards God to find a solution and God suggested a contest to determine the hierarchy. According to the results of the contest, the rat was supposed to head the first year of the cycle followed by the ox, pig and so on.
About Australian Gold Lunar
Minted out of pure gold, the Australian gold coins are sold in two series- the Lunar and the Kangaroo series. The Lunars have the highest gold value for which the coins have become a favorite of the investors and the collectors alike. The Australian Lunar series is issued by Perth Mint- a prominent coin manufacturer issuing a wide range of bullion coins.
The initial twelve years cycle of the Lunar series came to an end in 2007 which had Pig as the dominant animal. The Lunar series II commenced from 2008 with the animal signs and symbols as per the rules of the Chinese calendar. Tiger, which dominates the cycle of coins of the 2010 coin batch has a different face and bullion value. The coins produced for the Lunar series are of nine different weights but not all sizes are available within a particular cycle.
A limited number of Lunar coins are produced for each denomination as opposed to the large productions of bullion in the world. Huge popularity has driven the price of the Dragon and Horse coins up but the rest of the coins in the series are offered at a reasonable price when compared to the latest market value of gold. The Tiger cycle that started from last year is available in an ounce coin, a quarter of an ounce and a tenth of an ounce. A three coin set is offered by the mint of which three thousand coins were released for the one ounce denomination, five thousand for the quarter and about three thousand coins for the one-tenth ounce.
Featuring of Queen Elizabeth
Another significant aspect of the Lunar is that Her Royal Majesty the Queen features on the obverse side of the coins just like traditional British Gold Sovereign coins. But the images of the queens have changed a few times over the years. The coins of the initial years of the cycle, (from 1996 to 1998) featured a younger Queen Elizabeth. The later years saw images of a more matured Queen. The value of the coins also tends to differ based on this aspect.
The Australian Gold Lunars are the epitome of elegance and tradition. It is not only the monetary value, but the unique features that make these coins so desirable to own.
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