Perth Mints Lunar Series I collection first launched in 1996 and introduced a 12-year cycle of coins honoring the animals of the Chinese zodiac. Collectors were drawn to the program for its clean designs and dependable mint quality. With artwork created by Ing Ing Jong, the Lunar Series I coins were struck in both gold and silver and offered in a variety of weights, ranging from fractional pieces to large kilogram issues. Right now, 2008 Australian Lunar Rat 2 oz Silver Coins are available at Provident Metals.

Highlights:

• Arrives in a plastic capsule!
• 10th release in the Silver Lunar Series I program!
• Final mintage of only 7,221 coins!
• Contains 2 troy oz of .999 pure silver.
• Bears a face value of $2 (AUD) backed by the federal government of Australia.
• The obverse features a bust of Queen Elizabeth II.
• On the reverse is a rat standing on its hind legs.

Each 2008 Australian Lunar Rat 2 oz Silver Coin is shipped inside an acrylic capsule to help preserve the condition of the coin. This particular issue had a final mintage of just 7,221 coins. That low total makes it one of the hardest 2 oz releases to find from the Lunar Series I program, ranking as the third-lowest 2 oz silver mintage in the series behind only the 2009 and 2010 issues.

Obverse

The 2008 Australian Lunar Rat Silver Coin features the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. This effigy was commonly used on Australian coinage during the era. Her Majesty is shown in right-profile relief wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara. Surrounding inscriptions include her title and the coins monetary denomination, arranged neatly around the portrait. The inscriptions here include ELIZABETH II, AUSTRALIA, 2 DOLLARS, and 2007.

Reverse

The 2008 Lunar Rat 2 oz Silver Coins reverse depicts a single rat within a detailed design field. The engraving captures fine elements such as the texture of the rats fur and the surrounding grain, showing the careful striking work of Perth Mint. Included within the design is the Chinese character for rat along with the standard inscriptions identifying the coin, all placed in a balanced layout. Inscriptions here include 2008, 2 OZ 999 SILVER, and the Chinese character.

History

The Lunar Series I silver collection is slightly different from other Perth Mint lunar releases due to its production timeline. Although Lunar Series I began in 1996 with gold coins, silver coins were not introduced until 1999. Because of that delay, the silver issues followed a different order of zodiac animals than the original gold series. Lunar Series I silver also overlapped with the start of Lunar Series II from 2008 through 2010. While the final three releases in Lunar Series I featured designs dated 2008, 2009, and 2010, all three coins were produced in 2007 and bear that date on the obverse side.

Ordering

If you have any questions about silver coins for sale, please feel free to ask. Provident Metals customer service is available at 1-800-313-3315, online using our web chat, and via our email address.