Royal Australian Mint adds the Ox to its new range of silver and gold Lunar bullion coins

We don’t cover the lunar coin market as deeply as we have in the past, mainly because variety has tapered off and interest seems to be lower than before, but it is still a big market and there are still some very nice products being released within the genre. Case in point is the Royal Australian Mints bullion coin series.

Launching last year with a very pretty Year of the Rat design, the RAM has embarked on a new journey through the lunar calendar. This second issue is obviously the 2021 Year of the Ox and the Bronwyn King design is another good one. It isn’t as good as her rat coin last year, in my opinion, but the reality is, a rat is easier to depict with a bit of flair on a coin than a bull is. A simple reality.

The 2020 coin came in 1oz silver and 1oz gold variants, but the Ox has added 1/4oz and 1/2oz gold to the mix – a very sensible decision given the rise in the gold price. All carry, bar the obvious inscription changes, the same basic artwork on both faces. That obverse returns from last year and is a terrific one, neatly and elegantly encapsulating the series. The animal on the reverse sits at the top, the ‘wheel’ of animals turning each year to make this so. A great touch.

Available from today, this looks to be fine addition to a series well worth keeping an eye on. It joins the Royal Mint and the Perth Mint in having much improved lunar bullion coin offerings. The silver is limited to 50,000 pieces, with the gold variants all capped at 5,000.

MINTS DESCRIPTION

The year 2021 marks the Lunar Year of the Ox and to celebrate, the Royal Australian Mint is proud to present these stunning investment coins, the second in its Lunar Investment Series. In 2021, the 1oz investment coins are complemented by the addition of two new weights in gold, offering investors both the 1/2oz and 1/4oz options. Complete with brilliant uncirculated finish, the coins depict a bold design of a bull, representing the hard working and honest characteristics of those born in the Year of the Ox.

History and significance: The Chinese zodiac is a classification system based on the lunar calendar and assigns animals to each year, repeated in a cycle of 12. The Ox is the second animal in the Chinese zodiac and is associated with agriculture so represents hard working and honest characteristics.

The 2021 Lunar Year of the Ox gold and silver coins are the second instalment in the Royal Australian Mint’s Lunar Investment Series and are an accessible way for people to invest in precious metals. They follow the 2020 Year of the Rat coins, the first Royal Australian Mint-branded precious metal investment coins. The gold coin is made from gold ethically sourced in Australia and features three levels of security using proprietary technology.

Both gold and silver coins feature a beautiful image of a bull among willow branches, designed by Bronwyn King. The coins’ obverse features an effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Jody Clark and surrounded by the 12 lunar animals of the Chinese zodiac.