Uploaded August 2018 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The Dragon is the 5th coin released in the Perth Mint's Lunar Series II. This coin is the proof counterpart to the bullion coin. The Lunar Series II is inspired by the Chinese lunar calendar in which every year is represented by 12 different animals. According to a Chinese folk story, the Buddha summoned 12 different animals to attend him before he passes away. The Buddha turned this situation into a race, in which each of the 12 animals will be rewarded by having a year named after each animal in the order that they arrived to the Buddha. As their are 12 animals involved in the race, the lunar calendar consist of a cycle of 12 years. The Rat reached the Buddha first, so it was decreed that the Rat was to be celebrated on the first year of the lunar calendar. The Dragon was the 5th animal to reach the finish line and greet the Buddha, so it was rewarded the 5th year in the lunar calendar. As such, the Perth Mint honored the Dragon in the 5th coin in the Lunar II series.
The Dragon is the 5th coin released in the Perth Mint's Lunar Series II. This coin is the proof counterpart to the bullion coin. The Lunar Series II is inspired by the Chinese lunar calendar in which every year is represented by 12 different animals. According to a Chinese folk story, the Buddha summoned 12 different animals to attend him before he passes away. The Buddha turned this situation into a race, in which each of the 12 animals will be rewarded by having a year named after each animal in the order that they arrived to the Buddha. As their are 12 animals involved in the race, the lunar calendar consist of a cycle of 12 years. The Rat reached the Buddha first, so it was decreed that the Rat was to be celebrated on the first year of the lunar calendar. The Dragon was the 5th animal to reach the finish line and greet the Buddha, so it was rewarded the 5th year in the lunar calendar. As such, the Perth Mint honored the Dragon in the 5th coin in the Lunar II series.
