Ten ounces of gold in a single sovereign coin is a rare format, and The Perth Mint produces it only in limited numbers for the Lunar program. This piece holds 10 troy oz of 99.99% pure gold, carries a $1,000 face value as Australian legal tender, and marks the Year of the Snake in Lunar Series III. Large-format Lunar gold tends to command premiums well above melt on the secondary market.
Key Features:
- Purity and Weight: 10 troy oz of 99.99% fine gold
- Metal Type: Gold
- Obverse Design: King Charles III effigy with weight, fineness, and denomination
- Reverse Design: Snake coiled among bamboo with the Chinese character for snake and the P mintmark
The reverse is a different composition from the silver Snake release. A snake winds through a stand of bamboo, its body looping around the stalks in a series of curves with the head raised at upper right, eye and jaw clearly defined. Scales are cut individually across the full length of the animal, contrasting against the smooth bamboo segments and the narrow leaves overhead. The Chinese character 蛇 sits in the right field above SNAKE and 2025. The P mintmark appears at left, with designer Sean Rogers’ initials at the base.
The obverse carries Dan Thorne’s left-facing effigy of King Charles III, the first portrait of the new monarch used on Perth Mint lunar coins. CHARLES III and AUSTRALIA arc along the top rim. Below, the legend reads 10oz 9999 Au and 1000 DOLLARS. The snake is the sixth animal of the Chinese zodiac, traditionally linked to wisdom, patience, and transformation, with snake years falling in 1989, 2001, 2013, and 2025.
Each coin ships brilliant uncirculated in a protective acrylic capsule. Perth Mint bullion coins also carry a micro-engraved security feature that is only detectable under magnification.
Large Lunar gold moves in small numbers and rarely stays available long after a release closes. For an investor consolidating a sizeable gold position into one recognized sovereign piece, this is a strong option. Add the 2025 10 oz Lunar Snake Gold Coin to your cart today.