Platinum issues in the Perth Mint’s Lunar Series are rare by any standard. The 2026 Horse edition brings together .9995 fine platinum, Australian legal tender status, and the cultural significance of the Chinese zodiac in a single 1 oz coin. Platinum’s natural scarcity relative to gold and silver makes every annual release in this metal a short-run proposition, drawing both investors seeking metal diversification and collectors building complete Lunar Series III sets. With a strict worldwide mintage of just 5,000 coins, availability is genuinely limited.
Key Features:
- Purity and Weight: 1 troy oz of .9995 fine platinum
- Metal: Platinum
- Face Value: 100 Australian Dollars — legal tender guaranteed by the Australian government
- Obverse Design: Right-facing portrait of King Charles III with inscriptions “CHARLES III,” “AUSTRALIA,” “1oz 9995 Pt,” and “100 DOLLARS”
- Reverse Design: Rearing horse atop a rocky outcrop with grassland and mountain scenery; Chinese character for Horse, “HORSE 2026,” and Perth Mint “P” mintmark
- Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated
- Mintage: Limited to 5,000 coins worldwide
The reverse depicts a horse rearing upright on a jagged rock formation, forelegs lifted and mane flowing to the right in a series of deeply cut individual strands. The musculature of the body is rendered with clear definition against the coin’s bright field. Behind the horse, a low mountain range and textured grassland fill the background. To the upper left, the Chinese character for Horse sits above the inscription “HORSE 2026.” The Perth Mint’s “P” mintmark appears to the lower right.
The obverse carries the official effigy of King Charles III in right-facing profile, with hair and jacket collar rendered in fine detail. The inscriptions confirm weight, platinum purity, and the 100 AUD face value. The horse is the seventh animal of the Chinese zodiac, associated with independence, energy, and natural charisma — qualities that have made Lunar Series coins a consistent draw for collectors across Asia, Australia, and beyond.
Each coin is struck to Brilliant Uncirculated standard by The Perth Mint, one of the world’s most respected sovereign mints, operating since 1899 under the government of Western Australia. The coin arrives in a protective plastic capsule, preserving its finish straight from the mint. The reeded edge and sharp strike relief are characteristic of Perth Mint platinum production. As part of Lunar Series III, this is one of the few platinum options in the entire program, making it considerably harder to source than the gold and silver counterparts.
A worldwide mintage of 5,000 coins, combined with platinum’s inherent scarcity as a metal, means supply for this release is genuinely tight. The 2026 Horse year marks a rare zodiac combination that will not repeat within this series. Add the 2026 1 oz Australian Platinum Lunar Horse Coin to your cart today before stock runs out.