| Coin | Silver Two Ounces 2023 Year of the Rabbit, Antique |
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The Australian two ounces silver piece (abbreviated as 2 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.
Both mints endeavour to create coins with attractive designs, and to introduce new designs and themes often, in order to raise the numismatic value of the coins over the value of previous metal used.
This two-ounce silver coin with a face value of $2 and antique finish was issued as part of the Perth Mint's Lunar Series III to mark the Chinese Year of the Rabbit (22 January 2023 - 9 February 2024)).
The Mint says about it:
Dating back thousands of years, the Chinese lunar calendar features 12 auspicious animals, each said to influence the personality of those born during its ascendancy. The rabbit, which oversees people born in 2023 and every 12th preceding year, is believed to bless its cohort with intelligence, creativity, vigilance and compassion. |
| Mint | Perth Mint |
Mint Mark | Letter P |
Total Mintage | 1,888 |
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| 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The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the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 2oz 9999 Ag 2023 2 DOLLARS.
The inscription around the rim also incorporates the precious metal content. "2 oz 9999 Ag" means "two ounces of 99.99% silver" - Ag is abbreviated from the Latin word for silver, Argentum. |
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| Reverse | |
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The reverse of the coin portrays an alert rabbit with its ears erect and another rabbit stretching towards a budding branch. The animals are pictured in a bucolic scene featuring a picket fence, rolling hills, flowers, cabbages and three further rabbits.
The mint mark P of the Perth Mint is below left. The designer's initials IJ (for Ing Ing Jong) are at the base of the branch above right.
There is no inscription. The face value, date of issue and precious metal content are on the obverse. The design is "rimless" (extends to the edge of the coin with no surrounding rim). |
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| Reverse Inscription |
(none) |
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| Edge | Plain | Edge Inscription | None |
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| Notes | Silver content (Troy oz): 2.000
Finish: antique.
Packaging: accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity, the coin comes in a classic display case with a clear lid and an illustrated shipper. When aligned with the earlier and future shippers from the series, the illustration forms a diorama depicting all 12 animals in the order they completed The Great Race, a traditional Chinese story about the creation of the lunar calendar.
Perth Mint SKU: 3S2306CGAA
Date of issue: January 2023.
Issue price: AU$ 249.00
This coin has a smaller diameter and is thicker than the 2oz silver proof.
The series had been announced earlier, but its release was delayed until 27 September 2022 due to a period of mourning after the death of Queen Elizabeth II; her effigy is on the coins even though they were issued (and are dated) during the reign of King Charles III. |
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| See also |
Year of the Rabbit 2023 coins issued by the Perth Mint include:
- Australia, Platinum Ounce Bullion ($100), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Gold Ten Ounces Bullion ($1,000), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Gold Two Ounces Bullion ($200), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Gold Ounce Bullion ($100) with proof version, Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Gold Ounce Proof High Relief ($100), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Gold Half Ounce Bullion ($50), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Gold Quarter Ounce Bullion ($25) with proof version, Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Gold Tenth-Ounce Bullion ($15) with proof version, Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Gold Twentieth-Ounce Bullion ($5), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Ten Kilos Bullion ($300), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Kilo Bullion ($30), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Five Ounces Bullion ($8), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Five Ounces Proof High Relief ($8), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Two Ounces Bullion ($2) with proof version, Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Two Ounces Antique ($2), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Ounce Bullion ($1) with proof and coloured proof versions, Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Ounce Proof High Relief ($1), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Ounce ($1) with Opal, Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Half Ounce Bullion (50 Cents) with proof version, Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Silver Quarter Ounce Coloured (25 Cents), Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Australia, Aluminium Bronze $1 in Year of the Rabbit 2023 PNC
- Tuvalu, Gold Fifth-Ounce, Year of the Rabbit 2023 - Prosperity
- Tuvalu, Gold Fifth-Ounce, Year of the Rabbit 2023 - Longevity
- Tuvalu, Gold Fifth-Ounce, Year of the Rabbit 2023 - Success
- Tuvalu, Silver Ounce Antique ($1) with Rotating Charm, Year of the Rabbit 2023
- Tuvalu, Silver Half Ounce Coloured (50 cents), Baby Rabbit
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