The obverse of the coin shows: the profile of Queen Elizabeth II, the face value of the coin, the year of minting, the weight, the fineness of the gold and the name of the country.

The reverse of the Australian coin features an animal symbol that changes according to the Chinese calendar. There is also a Chinese hieroglyph written for the name of the animal.

The Lunar is Australian legal tender and the gold fineness and weight of the coin is guaranteed by the Australian Government.

Australian "Lunars" stand out from other coins in terms of subject matter and quality of execution. The coin is decorated with one of the 12 animals selected according to the Chinese calendar. This gives the coin additional investment value and makes it a collector's item. In addition, the Australian "Lunars" - can become a great gift! The design of the coins and the technique of making them make them popular among collectors. These coins depict the smallest details, embossed images, and a combination of polished and matte surfaces.

 

The history of Lunars

Lunar designs are based on the 12-year cycle of the Chinese (aka East Asian) calendar. Each year of this cycle is associated with a particular animal.

The first series of Lunars was minted in 1996 - the year of the rat. The mintages of these coin series are not large, so we recommend that you start collecting them with the first coin of the series. The second series of "Lunaru" began to be published in 2008 - the year of the rat.

 

Coin weight

From 1996 to 1999, Australian Lunar coins were minted in 4 different weights: 1/20 Oz (i.e. 1.55 g); 1/10 Oz (i.e. 3.10 g); 1/4 Oz (i.e. 7.78 g); 1 Oz (i.e. 31.10 g).

Since 2000, 2 oz (i.e. 62.20 g), 10 oz (i.e. 311 g) and one kilogram gold coins have been produced. And since 2004, half ounce (15.55 g) coins.