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Currency

British Chinese Lunar Calendar Coins

Author: Lawrence Chard - Chairman and CEO

Published: 13 Apr 2018

Last Updated: 27 Dec 2022

Synopsis

The Royal Mint in produce a very attractive series of gold bullion coins themed on the Chinese lunar calendar. We buy and sell most of these when available.

The UK's Royal Mint started issuing coins based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar in 2014, with the Year of the Horse. The coins make up the Shengxiao Collection.

Attractive Gold Bullion Coin Series

The design on the coins changes each year to show the lunar animal and so far all the coins have been designed by British designer, Wuon-Gean Ho.

Until 2016 the coins featured the Ian Rank-Broadley fourth portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. This was updated from the 2016 coin to feature the fifth portrait, by Jody Clark.

The coins are issued in 0.999 fine gold and are available in 1oz sizes.

Size Face Value Diameter (mm) Weight (g) Alloy (per 1000) Gold Content (g) Gold Content (tr oz)
1 Ounce £100 32.69 31.2100 0.999 31.104 1

Brief History

The Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on a 12 year cycle, each year in the cycle is associated with a different animal. The Perth Mint in Australia also have a lunar coin series, and started issuing the coins, in gold and silver, in 1996.

Dates and Symbols

Date Animal
2014 Horse
2015 Sheep
2016 Monkey
2017 Rooster
2018 Dog
2019 Pig - Boar
2020 Rat - Mouse
2021 Ox
2022 Tiger
2023 Rabbit
2024 Dragon
2025 Snake

Read more about the lunar calendar collection here

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