The Australian twentieth-ounce gold piece (abbreviated as 1/20 oz and designated with Au for "gold") is a bullion coin format. Uniquely, in Australia there are two mints authorised to strike legal tender: the Royal Australian Mint (which also makes the country's circulating coinage) and the Perth Mint which only makes collector and bullion coins, as well as other bullion products.
Both mints endeavour to create coins with attractive designs, and to introduce new designs and themes often, in order to raise the numismatic value of the coins over the value of previous metal used. Some of these are dedicated to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, in which every year is dedicated to one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac.
This coin is part of the Lunar Series issued by the Perth Mint's Lunar Series, and marks the Chinese 2007 Year of the Pig (18 February 2007 - 6 February 2008).
The mint says about it:
The final animal in the Chinese zodiac, the pig is traditionally associated with luck, prosperity and wealth. Those ruled by the Chinese lunar pig are said to be honest, loyal, sincere, calm and generous. Birth dates include 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, and 2007. |
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Within a beaded border, he reverse of the coin depicts a piglet standing in a field, stepping on stones across a small creek.
Vertically on the left, the year 2007. On the right, the Chinese character for "pig": 豬.
Horizontally below, the precious metal content: 1/20 OZ 9999 GOLD (one twentieth of a troy ounce of 99.99% gold). |
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