Back last September the Perth Mint released a coin that wasn’t part of a normal monthly run, but came out on its own. It weighed five ounces, was coloured, and depicted the four great creatures of Chinese mythology. It was a hit, mainly because the design was first-class, especially with the subject being one that does indeed work well with some colouration. You can read more about that coin in an earlier article.

The coin is back in a new form and it looks like the Perth Mint have knocked this one out of the park. The basic design of the first issue by Perth Mint in-house artist Ing Ing Jong,was very sound. They’ve now removed the colour and released it in a high relief version of the same weight. Personally I think the result is absolutely superb as a quick look at the video will show. We’ve always been big fans of the high-relief versions of many of their designs and they’re usually the best version the Perth Mint releases, but this one looks a real gem.

The design is based around the four main guardian animals of the ‘Four Celestial Palaces’ from Chinese mythology. The animals are represented in stylised form surrounding a central yin-yang symbol. The gently convex surface draws the eye inwards in a way that wasn’t present in the coloured one. About the only downside, one that applies to all these high-relief coins, is the reduction in diameter due to the increased thickness needed for the strike. In this case it’s a minor point as even though the coin has dropped 15mm in diameter from the coloured one, it’s still over 50mm (2″) across.

Available to order now from the Perth Mint website, with only 1,000 pieces being minted and a design this cool, we think this has sell-out written all over it. Put me down for one.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

According the ancient Chinese mythology, the universe was divided into four quadrants marking the beginning and end of the winter and summer solstices, and the autumn and spring equinoxes. These heavenly quadrants were known as the ‘Four Celestial Palaces’, with each palace represented by a guardian animal with a corresponding colour, element, and virtue.

THE BLUE DRAGON: The dragon is considered to be a symbol of supreme power. Although fearsome and frightening, the dragon is also believed to be benevolent, just, and the bringer of wealth and good fortune. The dragon represents spring, wood, and the east, the colour blue, and propriety.

THE WHITE TIGER: The white tiger represents autumn, metal, and the west, and is said to be a fierce protector with the power to exorcise evil spirits and grant a good harvest. Representing the colour white, the tiger is believed to be the king of all animals and the lord of the mountains. The tiger is also believed to be the bringer of wealth and symbolic of a good marriage.

THE RED PHOENIX: The auspicious phoenix represents summer and the south, the colour red, fire and knowledge. Appearing in times of good fortune, the phoenix is symbolic of resurrection and immortality, and is believed to bring happiness to people.

THE BLACK TORTOISE: Representing winter, water, and the north, the black tortoise symbolises longevity, wisdom, knowledge, and reproduction. The tortoise is also considered to be the God of water. The ancient Chinese believed there were no male tortoises, and so the females were forced to mate with snakes. As a result, the tortoise is commonly portrayed in an embrace with a snake.

DESIGN: The coin’s reverse portrays the four Chinese ancient mythical creatures with the yingyang symbol in the centre of the coin. The design includes the inscription CHINESE ANCIENT MYTHICAL CREATURES.

The coin’s obverse depicts the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the 2015 year- date, and the monetary denomination.

The coin’s high relief reverse and obverse are minted on concave surfaces to ensure the optimum flow of metal is achieved by the strike of the die.

PRESENTATION: Each coin is housed in a classic display case within an illustrated shipper and accompanied by a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.

SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION $5 TUVALU
COMPOSITION 0.999 SILVER
WEIGHT 155.673 g
SIZE 50.6 mm
FINISH PROOF
MINTAGE 1,000
ARTIST ING ING JONG / IAN RANK BROADLEY
BOX / COA YES / YES (SERIALISED)
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