The Australian one ounce silver piece (abbreviated as 1 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.
The Lunar Series series was introduced in 1994 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 coin is part of the Lunar Series II (second iteration of the Perth Mint's Lunar Series) and marks the Chinese 2019 Year of the Pig (4 February 2019 - 24 January 2020). It is the high relief version of the silver ounce, and has a smaller diameter and is thicker than the bullion coin.
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 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007 and 2019. |
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