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 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 one-ounce silver "premium bullion" coin with a face value of $1 was issued as part of the Lunar Series of coins to mark the 2023 Chinese Year of the Rabbit (22 January 2023 to 9 February 2023).
The Mint says about it:
The auspicious Rabbit is the fourth sign in the Lunar Calendar. In 2023, the Royal Australian Mint honours the gentle, noble and lovely people born under this sign with this coin. |
| 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The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the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 2023 · 1 DOLLAR ·.
The effigy, legend and face value are in a small circle, surrounded by a decorative border.
Around the rim outside that circle, a "Lunar Calendar Wheel": the twelve animals of the Lunar Calendar walking counter-clockwise: rat, pig, dog, rooster, monkey, goat, horse, snake, dragon, rabbit, tiger and an ox; the rabbit is on top. |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse of the coin shows a rabbit surrounded by plantain lilies, enclosing a crescent-shaped clear space with the inscriptions.
Above left, the Chinese character for "rabbit" 兔 and, on four lines, the inscription YEAR OF THE RABBIT.
Below that, the precious metal content: 1 oz .999 Ag (one ounce of 99.9% silver; Ag is abbreviated from the Latin "Argentum" and is used internationally on silver bullion coinage).
The designer's initials BS (for Bronwyn Scott) are on the left.
The face value and the date of issue are on the obverse. |
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