1996 Australian Gold Rats

Year 1996 Australian Gold Rat

All of Asia celebrates the year 1996 as the Year of the Rat in the Chinese Lunar New Year cycle, a 12-year cycle in which each year is named after an animal. Australia, as a major gold producer situated near the Asian markets, produces the Chinese Lunar Calendar series to great success.

Mintages were limited, and once the production limits are met, the secondary market takes over and prices may no longer be simply gold value plus a percentage. As with the other Lunar animals, only 30,000 of the 1-ounce coins will be struck.

These pure (99.99%) gold bullion coins are each encapsulated in individual round plastic holders for protection.

The one-ounce gold Lunar coin from Australia is an ounce of .9999 pure gold, with a nominal face value of $100 Australian.

The quarter-ounce coin is .25 ounce of .9999 pure gold, with a face value of A$25. Each coin is shipped from the Perth Mint in a round plastic case, and shrink-wrapped 20 coins together. Diameter is 20.1 mm, thickness 2 mm.

The tenth-ounce coin is .1 ounce of .9999 pure gold, with a face value of A$15. Individually encapsulated, 20 coins are shrink-wrapped together for shipment from the Perth Mint. Diameter is 16.1mm, thickness is 1.5 mm.

The twentieth-ounce coin is .05 ounce of .9999 pure gold, with a face value of A$5. Individually encapsulated, 20 coins are shrink-wrapped together at the Perth Mint. Diameter is 14.1 mm, thickness is 1.4mm.

Each coin comes in a hard plastic case, shipped from the Perth Mint shrink-wrapped 20 coins together. Diameter is 32.1 mm, with a thickness of 2.8 mm.