Buy Perth Mint Lunar Series Gold, Silver, and Platinum Coins
The Perth Mint Lunar Series is one of the world’s most recognizable sovereign bullion coin programs, combining precious metals with detailed designs inspired by the Chinese lunar calendar. Since the first Lunar Series debuted in 1996, collectors and investors have been able to follow the 12-year zodiac cycle through beautifully crafted gold and silver coins featuring the animals associated with each lunar year.
Today, the program has expanded beyond traditional gold and silver offerings to include select platinum coins, giving precious metals buyers even more ways to collect the Perth Mint’s celebrated lunar designs. Whether you want to learn more about the Chinese zodiac, build a complete Lunar Series collection, or add physical precious metals to your holdings, these coins offer an appealing combination of bullion value, artistry, and collectability.
About the Perth Mint Lunar Series
The Perth Mint Lunar Series celebrates the Chinese zodiac, a repeating 12-year calendar cycle in which each year is represented by a different animal. The 12 zodiac animals are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat or Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
Each annual release showcases the corresponding zodiac animal through an original reverse design. This changing artwork has helped make the Lunar Series especially popular among collectors who enjoy building sets while acquiring physical precious metals.
The Perth Mint is one of Australia’s most historic precious metals institutions. Established in 1899 as a branch of Britain’s Royal Mint, it originally played an important role in refining Australian gold and producing sovereigns. Today, the Perth Mint remains active in the global precious metals industry and produces internationally recognized bullion products, including its Gold Kangaroo, Silver Kangaroo, and Lunar Series coins.
Perth Mint Lunar Series Gold Coins
Perth Mint Lunar Gold Coins combine investment-grade gold with annually changing Chinese zodiac artwork. Each release depicts the lunar animal associated with its year, creating a collection that changes throughout the 12-year zodiac cycle.
Gold Lunar coins appeal to buyers looking for physical gold as well as collectors attracted to the series’ changing designs. Depending on the year and availability, Lunar gold coins may be offered in multiple weights, allowing buyers to select products appropriate for different collecting preferences and budgets.
The combination of precious metal content, Perth Mint craftsmanship, legal tender status, and distinctive annual designs has helped establish Lunar Gold coins among the Mint’s best-known collectible bullion products.
Perth Mint Lunar Series Silver Coins
The Perth Mint Lunar Silver Coin Series provides another popular way to collect the Chinese zodiac in precious metal form. These coins are struck in .9999 fine silver and feature intricate designs depicting the animal honored during each lunar year.
Silver Lunar coins have historically been produced in numerous sizes. Depending on the particular series, year, and product availability, releases can include the popular 1 oz size as well as fractional and larger-format silver coins.
Collectors often seek individual releases such as the Year of the Dragon, Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rabbit, and Year of the Snake, while others work toward completing an entire 12-animal Lunar collection.
Perth Mint Lunar Series Platinum Coins
Platinum represents a newer chapter in the Perth Mint Lunar Series.
The Mint introduced its first 1 oz Lunar Series platinum coin in 2020. For 2026, the program expanded again with the 2026 1/10 oz Year of the Horse Platinum Coin – Lunar Series III.
The 2026 coin represents the first 1/10 oz platinum release in the Perth Mint Lunar Series. Its smaller format provides collectors with a more accessible way to add platinum to a Lunar collection alongside gold and silver.
With a limited worldwide mintage of just 15,000 coins, the 2026 1/10 oz Year of the Horse Platinum Coin represents a notable milestone for the long-running Lunar program and is available exclusively at SD Bullion.
The Chinese Zodiac Animals
The Chinese zodiac, also known as Shengxiao, follows a 12-year cycle. Each year corresponds with one of the following animals:
- Rat
- Ox
Tiger - Rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Goat or Sheep
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Pig
These animals have important cultural and symbolic associations within Chinese traditions. Different signs have historically been connected with particular characteristics, relationships, and beliefs about fortune.
The zodiac also provides Lunar Series collectors with a natural structure for building a collection. Instead of repeating the same primary reverse design every year, each new lunar year introduces another animal and a new artistic interpretation.
Why Collect Perth Mint Lunar Coins?
One of the primary attractions of Perth Mint Lunar coins is their ability to combine physical precious metals with collectible artwork. Buyers can acquire gold, silver, or select platinum bullion coins while building collections around a recognizable cultural theme.
Annual design changes also distinguish the Lunar Series from bullion programs that use essentially the same primary design each year. Collectors can pursue a favorite zodiac animal, commemorate a significant birth year, or attempt to assemble all 12 animals within a particular Lunar Series.
Certain releases also feature limited mintages, which can increase collector interest after the original coins are no longer being produced. Availability and premiums can therefore vary considerably by metal, size, year, condition, and individual release.
Perth Mint Lunar Series I, II, and III
The Perth Mint Lunar program has developed across three major series, allowing the Mint to revisit the same 12 zodiac animals through new generations of designs.
Lunar Series I introduced the Perth Mint’s zodiac bullion concept and established the foundation for the program.
Lunar Series II continued the tradition with a new collection of annual animal designs.
Lunar Series III represents the current generation, bringing another set of artistic interpretations to the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle while expanding the program with platinum offerings.
This multi-series history gives collectors a wide variety of designs, metals, weights, and years to explore.
Legal Tender Australian Bullion Coins
Perth Mint Lunar coins are more than decorative precious metal pieces. Coins issued under the program carry Australian legal tender status and have official denominations.
Their precious metal content, however, will generally represent substantially more value than the nominal face value stamped on the coin. For bullion buyers, factors such as metal content, spot prices, rarity, condition, mintage, and market demand can have a much greater influence on the price of an individual Lunar coin.
Buy Perth Mint Lunar Series Coins at SD Bullion
SD Bullion offers Perth Mint Lunar Series platinum, silver, and gold coins for collectors and precious metals buyers. Available products can include current-year releases as well as coins from previous lunar years, depending on inventory.
Explore our selection to find individual zodiac animals, expand an existing collection, or begin building your own Perth Mint Lunar Series set. Product specifications, precious metal content, mintages, pricing, and availability can differ between releases, so review the individual product information for complete details before purchasing.
Whether you prefer gold, silver, platinum, or a combination of all three precious metals, the Perth Mint Lunar Series provides a distinctive way to own sovereign bullion coins while celebrating one of the world's best-known cultural traditions.