The Australian two ounces gold piece (abbreviated as 2 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.
This two-ounce gold coin with a face value of $200 was issued as part of the Perth Mint's Lunar Series II to mark the Chinese Year of the Tiger (14 February 2010 to 2 February 2011).
First issued in 1995 and now in its second round, the long-running Australian Lunar Coin Series celebrates the animals of the ancient Chinese lunar zodiac with a sequence of annual designs portraying the mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
This 2010 coin features the tiger, which is said to bestow determination, courage, confidence and charm on those born under its influence in 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 and 2010. |