The Australian half ounce silver piece (abbreviated as 1/2 oz and designated with Ag for "silver") is a bullion and commemorative coin format; it has face value of either 1 dollar or 50 cents. 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.
The silver Lunar Series series was introduced in 1999 by the Perth Mint (the Royal Australian Mint started a parallel series later) and is dedicated to the Chinese Lunar Calendar and the Chinese Zodiac. Known as Sheng Xiao or Shu Xiang, it features twelve animal signs in this order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Boasting a history of more than 2,000 years, it plays an essential role in Chinese culture. The animals zodiac in a cycle are not only used to represent years in China, but also believed to influence people’s personalities, career, compatibility, marriage, and fortune.
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 | |
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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The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the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. |
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| Reverse | |
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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. |
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