Australian Gold Year of the Monkey

Officially commenced on 8^th February 2016, the Year of the Monkey corresponds to year 4714 on the Chinese Lunar calendar. The traits associated with the monkey based on the longstanding Chinese zodiac culture are adventure, ambition and intelligence albeit mischievous. It is the ninth animal in the 12-year Chinese Lunar cycle. In honor of this animal, the Australian Perth Mint released the second series of the Australian Lunar coinage and, in it, the Australian Gold Year of the Monkey coin in 2016.

The Australian Gold Year of the Monkey coins come in eight different sizes of 1/20 t/oz, 1/10 t/oz, ¼ t/oz, ½ t/oz, 1 t/oz, 2 t/oz, 10 t/oz and 1 kg in gold bullion weights. Their respective maximum diameters are 14.60mm, 18.60mm, 22.60mm, 30.60mm, 39.34mm, 41.10mm, 75.60mm and 100.60mm. The maximum thicknesses are 1.40mm, 2.00mm, 2.20mm, 2.50mm, 3.90mm, 6.00mm and 9.00mm respectively. Their corresponding denominational face values are AUD5, AUD15, AUD25, AUD50, AUD100, AUD200, AUD1,000 and AUD3,000. All the coins are made of 24-carat pure gold alloy with a fineness of 0.9999.

All the coins below 1kg and those from 1kg have similar reverses and obverses apart from the face value and gold content inscriptions. The reverse features have the image of a calm-looking monkey sitting on a leafless branch with its head turned to the left. To the top-left the monkey’s head is a section of a branch with a dangling fruit. The Chinese symbol of the monkey is adjacent to the monkey’s back above its tail. The inscription, “P” is adjusted to the coiled tail on the center-left of the coin. The inscription, “Year of the Monkey” appears below the image of the monkey and branch.

The obverse of the coin features Ian Rank-Broadley’s fourth creation of the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II with a crown and facing towards the right. It also has the inscriptions, “ELIZABETH II” and “AUSTRALIA” above the effigy while the gold content, year, and denomination run anticlockwise at the bottom-half edge of the coin. The 1kg and 3kg coins only have the face values without the gold content below the effigy.