Answer To Customer Questions About Silver Lunar Series

21 Comments

• March 16 2011

  Brian Kuryn says:

  Mr. Ward,
  Thank you for your prompt response.  
  When searching the internet auction sites, I do not see a "P" mint mark on the early 1oz. silver lunar coins that are described as Perth minted coins.  The mint mark is clearly visible on the four coins shown above.  Is there a mint mark on the early coins, and if so, where?
  Please correct me if I am wrong, but the way I understand it is that there are twelve coins in series 1,  1999 year of the rabbit, through 2010 year of the tiger.  Plus four coins in series 2,  2008 year of the mouse through 2011 year of the rabbit.  This explains to me, one mouse, two mice, standing tiger, sitting tiger, one ox, ox with calf, because for three years the mintage for series 1 and series 2 actually overlaps.
  If this is correct, in order for me to collect all of the Perth 1oz. silver lunar coins, I would need to get twelve of series 1, and four of series 2, for a total of sixteen coins minted so far.  Is this correct?

• March 17 2011

  Stephen Ward says:

  Hi Brian
  
  The Series I Year of the Rabbit bullion coin issued in 1999 displayed a special ‘P100’ mintmark that celebrated the Mint’s centenary. The remaining 11 coins in the series do not feature the ‘P’ mintmark as it was not policy at that time to use it on bullion issues.
  
  The first Series was issued annually up to the 2007 Year of the Pig. In that year we also released Series I coins celebrating the 2008 Year of the Rabbit, 2009 Year of the Ox and 2010 Year of the Tiger. As a consequence, the obverse of these last three issues bears the issue date 2007.
  
  (This occurred because the original 12-coin gold series, which began three years earlier in 1996, ended in 2007. With Series II – in both silver and gold - scheduled for launch in 2008, clearly we wished to provide Series I silver collectors with an opportunity to finish the 12-coin sequence with minimal confusion.)
  
  You are perfectly correct, therefore, in your conclusion that 12 Series I designs in silver were issued (albeit in a compressed timeframe) and that so far we have issued four Series II designs.
  
  I have uploaded a useful graphic here which may prove helpful in your search for Series I releases.
  
  Regards
  
  Stepgen Ward

• March 22 2011

  Franco says:

  Thanks Stephen for this. Could you also provide an image for the bullion gold lunar series 1?
  
  And maybe start on one for the Series 2?
  
  An avid collector
  Franko

• March 30 2011

  Stephen Ward says:

  Hi Franco/Franko?
  Here are the gold designs for the Australian Lunar Series I.
  Stephen Ward

• April 04 2011

  Matt says:

  Hi Stephen,
  
  What about the 10 oz coins .. do they have a limit of production?
  If so how many?
  
  I've noticed a New Zealand seller with 10oz Tigers @ $625 !
  
  Thank you,
  
  Matt

• April 05 2011

  Stephen Ward says:

  Hi Matt
  
  Production of 10oz Lunar silver bullion coins is currently suspended. Under normal circumstances, there is no mintage limit for 10oz Lunars, although production closes at the end of the year in question when we declare the official mintage.
  
  Regards
  
  Stephen Ward

• April 06 2011

  Sky says:

  Hi,
  

  I am not sure about the PM's mintage policy in terms of numbers and production timeframes, and hoping that you would clarify for me. Any additional link to the PM mintage policies will be great, but appreciate if you can directly answer the questions below...All questions are about lunar 2 series silver bullion coins:

  1-) Is it correct that other than 1oz and 1kg coins, mintage ends for other sizes at the end of the every lunar year?

  2-) Will 1oz coins be produced till 300k is reached even though the lunar year ended?

  3-) Is there a place/link to follow the mintage numbers, I am specifically curious whether lunar 2 rabbits have reached 300k, will appreciate if you can respond to this. 

  4-) When does the new lunar year coins become available, I presume the Mint must be producing them already in order to cope with the demand the moment dragon becomes available? Is there a target date for the dragon coins' release?

  5-) What are the planned mintage numbers for dragons?

  Will greatly appreciate your clarification.

  Thank you very much.

  Sky

• April 07 2011

  Stephen Ward says:

  Hi Sky
  
  Re your questions:
  
  1-) and 2-) Please refer to our 2011 bullion brochure, in which we state -
  
  No mintage limit applies to 1 kilo, 10oz, 5oz, 2oz and 1/2oz coins.  Except for the 1 kilo release, production of these coins will close at the end of 2011 and The Perth Mint will declare each coin’s official mintage.  Production of 1 kilo coins will cease at the end of the series.
  
  A maximum of 500 10 kilo coins will be produced on a mint-to-order basis.  However, production will close at the end of 2011, when the coin’s actual mintage will be declared.
  
  The Perth Mint will produce up to 300,000 1oz coins.  Production will cease when the mintage is fully sold or at the end of the series, whichever comes first.
  
  3-) http://www.perthmint.com.au/investment-bullion-bars-and-coins-mintages.aspx
  
  4-) http://www.perthmintbullion.com/au/Our-Bullion-Products/Coin-Mintages-Annual-Release-Dates.aspx
  
  5-) Exactly the same as the Rabbit.
  
  Regards
  
  Stephen Ward

• May 04 2011

  Dave says:

  Hi, are we going to see production of 5-10oz Lunar coins start up again after the mint opens fully in July.

• May 04 2011

  Stephen Ward says:

  Hi Dave
  
  There's no official date yet but we will inform the market if and when the decision is taken to re-start production of 5oz and 10oz silver Lunar coins.
  
  Regards
  
  Stephen Ward

• May 09 2011

  Richie says:

  Hi
  
  I'm looking forward to the release of the 2012 Lunar Dragon series which I believe will be in September 2011.  To avoid missing out, what would be the best method in securing my purchase if I wanted to get in early?  I presume these will be available online for purchase on the release date?  Thanks.

• May 10 2011

  Stephen Ward says:

  Hi Richie
  
  We will announce the exact availability date of the Year of the Dragon coins on the website nearer the time. My advice would be to watch the PERTH MINT BULLION NEWS section on our News & Reports page. You can also register for e-mail newsletters on our homepage for another source of news announcements. Then you'll have no problems.
  
  Regards
  
  Stephen Ward

• June 04 2011

  jimmy dee says:

  what is the mintage of australian lunar seires II five ounce silver coins?.  i knew one ounce is 300,000. 

• July 20 2011

  Stephen Moore says:

  Hi Stephen,
  Thanks for all the great info about the lunar series, the note about the last three coins of Series I all being dated 2007 was especially helpful!
  I am a 50c collector so have almost all the 1/2oz silver issues (still hunting for a few).
  What I would like to know is the name of the designer of the Reverse of the lunar silver coins (series I and II) as I have a database of every legal tender Australian 50c issued and I cannot find any information about who the designer(s) of the Perth Mint coins are.  Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
  Kind regards,
  Stephen Moore

• July 21 2011

  Stephen Ward says:

  Hi Stephen Moore,
  
  I hope the following table is useful.
  
  

  Year	Metal	Description	Designer
  		SERIES I
  1996	Gold	Year of the Mouse	Tony Dean
  1997	Gold	Year of the Ox	Jovan Radanovich
  1998	Gold	Year of the Tiger	Miranda Cornall
  1999	Gold & Silver	Year of the Rabbit	Gold – Louise Pinder Silver – Jovan Radanovich
  2000	Gold & Silver	Year of the Dragon	Tony Dean
  2001	Gold & Silver	Year of the Snake	Collaborative design*
  2002	Gold & Silver	Year of the Horse	Travis Farley
  2003	Gold & Silver	Year of the Goat	Gold – Travis Farley Silver – Sarah Anderson
  2004	Gold & Silver	Year of the Monkey	Gold – Jovan Radanovich Silver – Sarah Anderson
  2005	Gold & Silver	Year of the Rooster	Collaborative design*
  2006	Gold & Silver	Year of the Dog	Collaborative design*
  2007	Gold & Silver	Year of the Pig	Collaborative design*
  		SERIES II
  2008	Gold & Silver	Year of the Mouse	Collaborative design*
  2009	Gold & Silver	Year of the Ox	Collaborative design*
  2010	Gold & Silver	Year of the Tiger	Collaborative design*
  2011	Gold & Silver	Year of the Rabbit	Collaborative design*

  * reverse initiated in China and finalised by different coin designers in The Perth Mint studio.

  Regards
  
  Stephen Ward

• July 22 2011

  Stephen Moore says:

  Awesome! thanks Stephen, you are a star!
  
  Any change you could add the Series I coins - 2008 Year of the Rabbit, 2009 Year of the Ox and 2010 Year of the Tiger which bear the issue date 2007?
  
  Thanks heaps!
  
  I would also like to know the same info for the half ounce silver kookaburra's if it is available.
  
  Kind regards,
  Stephen Moore

• July 25 2011

  Stephen Moore says:

  Hi Stephen,
  Thanks for the info! you are a STAR!
  Do you have any info on the Series I coins celebrating the 2008 Year of the Rabbit, 2009 Year of the Ox and 2010 Year of the Tiger which have the issue date 2007?
  Also if you have any info on the 1/2oz silver kookaburra designers I would love to know as well.
  Thanks again!
  Stephen Moore

• July 25 2011

  Stephen Ward says:

  Hi Stephen
  
  Silver Lunar Designs
  
  2008 Year of the Rabbit, 2009 Year of the Ox and 2010 Year of the Tiger by Sarah Anderson.
  
  Kookaburra Designs:
  
  Year   Designer
  1990   Stuart Devlin
  1991   Stuart Devlin
  1992   John Bergdahl
  1993   Leslie Adonis
  1994   Milena Milan
  1995   Tony Dean
  1996   Jovan Radanovich
  1997   Milena Milan
  1998   Louise Pinder
  1999   Sara Langridge
  2000   Mathew Gee
  2001   Mathew Gee
  2002   Jovan Radanovich
  2003   Louis Kwan
  2004   Jovan Radanovich
  2005   Sarah Anderson
  2006   Ryan Vanderwiel
  2007   Justin Graham
  2008   Shevaun Buschenhofen
  2009   Darryl Bellotti
  2010   Elise Martinson
  2011   Elise Martinson
  
  Regards
  
  Stephen Ward

• July 25 2011

  Stephen Moore says:

  Stephen, Once again you have been fantastic!
  Thanks
  Stephen

• February 22 2012

  Julie Cho says:

  Hi ,  I am looking for Series 1 Lunar gold coin 1/20 oz 2007 Pig, Can you tell me
          how I can buy one?  If someone can get in touch with me by email.
  
  Thanks and Regards  Julie

• December 02 2012

  Eleni says:

  Hi anyone
  
  Im looking to purchase a 1997 series 1 gold ox 1997 coin
  
  Please help
  Eleni