Silver Ounce 2025 Opal - Year of the Snake, Coin from Australia - detailed information

The Australian one ounce silver piece (abbreviated as 1 oz and designated with Ag for "silver") is a bullion coin format. Uniquely, in Australia there are two mints independently 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 Australian Opal series uses a technique pioneered by the Perth Mint in which the reverse design is done with opal inserts instead of being coloured.

This one-ounce silver coin with a face value of $1 was issued as part of the Perth Mint's Lunar Series III to mark the 2025 Chinese Year of the Snake. Its reverse has opal inserts, and - as usual with the opal coins - has a design that differs from the other Year of the Snake coins issued by the mint the same year.

The Mint says about it:
Australia supplies the overwhelming majority of the world’s opal, a colourful mineral-like material which is put to outstanding artistic use in this exceptionally popular series. With previous Opal Lunar coins sold out, this Year of the Snake addition is sure to be another keenly sought after collectable.

With its creative use of opal in the shape of a snake, this 1oz silver proof coin is a superb memento for those celebrating the 2025 Lunar New Year and everyone born under the influence of the sixth animal of the ancient lunar calendar.