| Coin | Silver Half Ounce 2020 Year of the Rat - Ingot |
|---|
|
The Australian half ounce silver piece (abbreviated as 1/2 oz and designated with Ag for "silver") is a bullion and commemorative 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 half-ounce silver ingot with a face value of $1 was issued as part of the Lunar Series of coins to mark the Chinese Year of the Rat (25 January 2020 - 11 February 2021).
The Mint says:
"Honouring 2020 as the Lunar Year of the rat, the Royal Australian Mint presents these beautiful investment coins. They feature the clever, curious and sensitive Rat."
The coins were issued boxed, in Brilliant Uncirculated grade. |
|
| Obverse | |
|---|
The obverse of the coin depicts the crowned old bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Royal Diamond Diadem crown worn for her Coronation (effigy known as the "Fifth Portrait" worldwide but "Sixth Portrait" in Australia, where the Queen's portrait by Vladimir Gottwald was fifth).
The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen mother) in 1937.
Unlike on British coinage, the effigy is "uncouped" (includes the Queen's shoulders). In small letters on the left, the artist's initials JC (for Jody Clark).
Running continuously around the rim is the monarch's legend, the date of issue and the face value: ELIZABETH II · AUSTRALIA 2020 · 1 DOLLAR ·.
The effigy, legend and face value are in a small circle, surrounded by auspicious (lucky) lychee branches. |
|
|
| Reverse | |
|---|
The reverse of the coin shows at its centre a rat on a branch of a lychee tree, with six lychees and six leaves, enclosing a crescent-shaped clear space with the inscriptions.
Below right, the Chinese character for "rat" 鼠 (pronounced shŭ under the Pinyin system) and, on four lines, the inscription YEAR OF THE RAT.
The face value and the date of issue are on the obverse. |
|
| Reverse Inscription |
鼠 YEAR OF THE RAT |
|---|
|
| Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
|
|
| See also |
Year of the Rat 2020 coins issued by RAM include:
- Gold Five Ounces, Year of the Rat 2020
- Gold Ounce, Two Rats, Fourth Portrait, Year of the Rat 2020
- Gold Ounce, Domed, Year of the Rat 2020
- Gold Ounce, Year of the Rat 2020
- Gold Quarter Ounce, Two Rats, Fourth Portrait, Year of the Rat 2020
- Gold Twentieth-Ounce, Two Rats, Fourth Portrait, Year of the Rat 2020
- Silver Kilo ($30), Year of the Rat 2020
- Silver Ounce ($5), Domed, Year of the Rat 2020
- Silver Ounce ($1), Year of the Rat 2020
- Silver Half Ounce, Rectangular Ingot, Year of the Rat 2020
- $1 Year of the Rat, Aluminium Bronze, Year of the Rat 2020
- $1 Good Luck, Aluminium Bronze, Year of the Rat 2020
- 50 Cents, Copper-Nickel, Year of the Rat 2020
|
|---|
|
Search for Australia: Silver Half Ounce 2020 Year of the Rat - Ingot on eBay 