Coin | Silver Ounce 2024 Year of the Dragon, Domed |
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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 coin with a face value of $5 and a domed shape was issued as part of the Lunar Series of coins to mark the 2024 Chinese Year of the Dragon (10 February 2024 - 28 January 2025).
The mint says about it: Celebrating the Lunar Year of the Dragon is this joyous silver coins, the fifth release of the Royal Australian Mint’s Lunar Investment Series. Intelligent and ambitious, characteristics which are said to be shared by those born under this sign. Mark the New Year on 10 February 2024 by gifting your loved one with a coin showcasing the dragon - the fifth sign in the Chinese Zodiac cycle. |
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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The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the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 1952 - 2022 · AUSTRALIA 2024 · 5 DOLLARS ·.
The legend is interrupted by the "memorial" inclusion of the dates of the Queen's reign, 1952 - 2022.
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 dragon is on top. |
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Reverse | |
The reverse of the coin depicts a mythical Chinese dragon in flight above the clouds, enclosing a crescent-shaped clear space with the inscriptions.
Above right, the Chinese character for "dragon" 龍 and, on four lines, the inscription YEAR OF THE DRAGON.
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 above right.
The face value and the date of issue are on the obverse. |
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Reverse Inscription |
龍 YEAR OF THE DRAGON 1 oz .999 Ag |
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Edge | Plain | Edge Inscription | None |
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Notes | Finish: Proof FDC, domed shape. Packaging: in acrylic capsule packaged in presentation box within a bright red shipper, with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. RAM Product Code: 11362. Release price: AU$ 130.00.
The coins have the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, even though they were issued during the reign of King Charles III. |
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See also |
1 oz silver coins issued by various countries and mints for the 2024 Year of the Dragon: - Ascension Island (Commonwealth Mint), 1 oz Silver Bullion (£1), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver Bullion ($1), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver High Relief Proof ($1), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver Coloured ($1), Yellow Dragon 2024 - Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver Coloured ($1), Blue Dragon 2024 - Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver Coloured ($1), White Dragon 2024 - Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver Coloured ($1), Green Dragon 2024 - Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver Coloured ($1), Gold Dragon 2024 - Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver Coloured ($1), Purple Dragon 2024 - Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver Coloured ($1), Red Dragon 2024 - Australia (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver Proof with Opal ($1), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Australia (Royal Australian Mint), 1 oz Silver Bullion ($1), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Australia (Royal Australian Mint), 1 oz Silver Proof Domed ($5), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Bhutan (Singapore Mint), 1 oz Silver Bullion (200 Ngultrum), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Bhutan (Singapore Mint), 1 oz Silver Proof Coloured (500 Ngultrum), Year of the Dragon 2024 - France (Paris Mint), 1 oz Silver Proof (€20), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Niue (NZ Mint), 1 oz Silver Bullion ($2), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Niue (NZ Mint), 1 oz Silver Proof Gilded ($2), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Niue (PAMP), 1 oz Silver Proof ($1), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Pitcairn Islands (Tower Mint), 1 oz Silver Bullion ($1), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Pitcairn Islands (Tower Mint), 1 oz Silver Proof ($5), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Rwanda (B.H.Mayer), 1 oz Silver Bullion (50 Rwandan Francs), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Samoa (Scottsdale Mint), 1 oz Silver Bullion (2 Tala), Year of the Dragon 2024 - Tokelau (B.H.Mayer), 1 oz Silver Proof (5 Tokelau Dollars), Year of the Dragon - Mirror Dragon 2024 - Tuvalu (Perth Mint), 1 oz Silver Antique ($1) with Rotating Charm, Year of the Dragon 2024 - Tuvalu (Perth Mint), 4x 1 oz Silver Quadrant (4x $1), Year of the Dragon 2024 - United Kingdom (Royal Mint), 1 oz Silver Proof (£2), Year of the Dragon 2024 - (not legal tender), APMEX, 1 oz Silver Round, Year of the Dragon 2024 - (not legal tender), APMEX, 1 oz Silver Bar, Year of the Dragon 2024 - (not legal tender), Asahi, 1 oz Silver Round, Year of the Dragon 2024 - (not legal tender), PAMP Suisse, 1 oz Silver Bar, Legend of the Azure Dragon 2024
Year of the Dragon 2024 coins issued by the Royal Australian Mint include: - 5 oz Gold Proof ($500), Year of the Dragon 2024 - 1 oz Gold Proof Domed ($100), Year of the Dragon 2024 - 1 kg Silver Proof ($30), Year of the Dragon 2024 - 1 oz Silver Bullion ($1), Year of the Dragon 2024 - 1 oz Silver Proof Domed ($5), Year of the Dragon 2024 - $1, Aluminium Bronze, Year of the Dragon 2024 - $1, Aluminium Bronze, Good Luck 2024 - 50 Cents, Copper-Nickel, Year of the Dragon 2024
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