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Lunar Series (British coin)

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For the coin series minted by China, see Chinese lunar coins.
Year of the Sheep (Gold)
United Kingdom
Value100 pounds sterling
Mass31.103 g
Diameter38.61 mm
Thickness2.7 mm
EdgeMilled
Composition.9999 fine gold
Years of minting2016
Obverse
DesignQueen Elizabeth II
DesignerJody Clark
Reverse
DesignSheep
DesignerWuon-Gean Ho
Design date2016

The Lunar or Shēngxiào (生肖) coin series is a collection of British coins issued by the Royal Mint, featuring the Chinese zodiac in celebration of Chinese New Year. First issued in 2014, the series has been minted in varying denominations of silver and gold, as both bullion and proof.

Year of the Horse 2014

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Reverse

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The reverse design consists of a galloping Horse set against the background of the pre-historic Uffington White Horse, located in Oxfordshire.[1] Lettering on the coin reads "YEAR OF THE HORSE · 2014"a plus details of the mass and metal content of the coin. The Chinese character for Horse (馬) is displayed near the coin's centre.

Mule version

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In March 2014, it was reported that a number of 1oz bullion coins had mistakenly been struck with the incorrect die. Around 38,000 of the Lunar Horse coins were struck with an obverse intended for the Britannia series, while 17,000 Britannia coins were stuck with the obverse for the Lunar series.[2]

Year of the Sheep 2015

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The reverse design consists of two Yorkshire Swaledale sheep facing each other and the background consists of a forest of trees.B As designer Wuon-Gean Ho explains: "the ancient Chinese character for the word sheep looks a little bit like a tree", so the forest consists of a series of this character (羊).[3] This character is further displayed near the coin's center. Across the top lettering, it reads "YEAR OF THE SHEEP · 2015" plus details of the mass and metal content of the coin.

Year of the Monkey 2016

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The reverse design features a leaping rhesus monkey jumping forward from a tree with another monkey also jumping in the background.[4] Lettering on the coin reads "YEAR OF THE MONKEY· 2016"A plus details of the mass and metal content of the coin. The Chinese character for Monkey (猴) is displayed in the lower right of the coin.

Year of the Rooster 2017

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The reverse design features a crowing rooster amongst ten sea thrift flowers, the number ten symbolising of perfection in Chinese culture.[5] Lettering on the coin reads "YEAR OF THE ROOSTER · 2017"A plus details of the mass and metal content of the coin. The Chinese character for Rooster (雞) is displayed near the coin's centre. Unlike the previous coins in the series, the 2017 coin breaks the otherwise uniform smooth obverse design, opting for an obverse similar to that of the Britannia coin series.[6]

Year of the Dog 2018

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Wuon-Gean explains on the Royal Mint's site that "the reverse design is a picture of a very happy, bounding dog that is jumping for joy! This dog is a mix between a West-Highland white Terrier and a Jack Russell – it’s really wirey and really energetic; he also looks like he’s smiling because his mouth is slightly open and it seems like he’s leaping across the waves. In reality, the background is a hidden story; I like to put hidden motifs in my coins, so the background is actually created from a nose pattern of another dog. The nose print is unique to every dog, so the nose print is a portrait of another animal that this dog is potentially playing with – it’s a story of a dog in a landscape, but the landscape is not what you expect it to be. The signature is in the foreground of the landscape and it’s looks like a little shell on a beach – it’s just a motif that says “Wuon-Gean” in very old characters, at the front of the coin." The reverse design features the Chinese character (狗) displayed near the coin's center.[7]

Year of the Pig 2019

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The reverse design on this Royal Mint Shēngxiào Collection coin celebrates the Year of the Pig. The design by Harry Brockway represents these traits and the cultural traditions behind the lunar calendar, and shows a female pig (or sow) suckling five piglets. Brockway includes an English Cottage in the background. Each coin features the traditional Chinese symbol for ‘pig’ appears below the sow's head (豬).[8]

Year of the Rat 2020

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The rat is the seventh design in The Shēngxiào Collection and this coin was designed by illustrator P.J. Lynch. The design obviously features a rat itself, which had to be appealing and interesting. Lynch claims[9] he shows a rat as it twists, responding to a noise or something happening nearby. The rat is momentarily vulnerable, but also curious and unafraid. Lynch adds: “As well as the twisting body, I was able to have fun with the rat’s long curvy tail, which weaves its way around the composition through the flowers. I chose peonies because of their popularity in China and association with good luck. The arch of text frames the upper hemisphere of the design, and then the only other element is the Chinese character for ‘rat’. I have placed this so that the trailing stroke echoes the shape of the rat’s face and jaw. I wanted them to look like continental plates on a globe that might belong together.” The Chinese character for rat (鼠) is displayed near the coin's centre.

Year of the Ox 2021

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Harry Brockway on the Royal Mint site[10] is quoted as saying: “It was important to give an Eastern feel to the design, yet with a ‘British twist". The design was inspired by eighteenth-century British paintings of prize cattle and he places the Ox in an English landscape.” Harry's design contains a variety of elements, including blossom trees and ploughs. He claims he explores the concept of a minimalist setting with a strong focus on the creature itself; the design has an emphasis on ‘less is more’. By stripping back the distractions and placing the ox centre stage, Harry believes his final design managed to portray the ox in its purest form. The Chinese character for Ox (牛) is displayed near the coin's centre.

Year of the Tiger 2022

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The 2022 coin features the Tiger. David Lawrence's reverse design depicts a tiger facing front and the Chinese character for "tiger" (虎).[11][12]

Year of the Rabbit 2023

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The 2023 coin features the Rabbit. It was the last of the series to depict Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022. The reverse design by Louie Maryon shows a rabbit and falling oak leaves, as well as the Chinese character for "rabbit" (兔).[13]

Year of the Dragon 2024

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The 2024 coin features the Dragon. It is the first of the series to depict King Charles III, who acceded to the throne in September 2022. The reverse design by William Webb shows a Chinese dragon flying over a forest, as well as the Traditional Chinese character for "dragon" (龍).[14]

Year of the Snake 2025

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The 2025 coin will feature the Snake and complete the 12-sign cycle of the Chinese zodiac.

Face values

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Face Value
1⁄10 ozt 1 ozt 5 ozt 1 kg
Silver — £2 £10 £500
Gold £10 £100 £500 £1,000

Mintage figures

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Silver Notes
Year Obverse Obverse

Designer

Reverse Reverse Designer Bullion Proof
1oz 1 oz 1 oz PNC 5oz 1 Kilo
2014 Queen Elizabeth II Ian Rank-Broadley Horse Wuon-Gean Ho 300,000 8,888 2,014 1,488 [15]
2015 Sheep 188,888 9,888 2,015 1,088 [16]
2016 Jody Clark Monkey 138,888 8,054 2,016 588 88 [17][18]
2017 Rooster 3,888 388 68 [19][16]
2018 Dog 5,008 108 [20]
2019 Pig Harry Brockway 3,888 288 38 [21]
2020 Rat P.J. Lynch 3,898 198 [22][23]
2021 Ox Harry Brockway 3,998 [24]
2022 Tiger David Lawrence 228 [25]
2023 Rabbit Louie Maryon 2,888 50 [26]
2024 King Charles III Martin Jennings Dragon William Webb 3,898 288 52 [27]
Gold Notes
Year Obverse Obverse

Designer

Reverse Reverse

Designer

Bullion BU Proof
1oz Gold 1/10 oz 1/4 oz 1oz 1 oz Gold-plated 5 oz 1 Kilo
2014 Queen Elizabeth II Ian Rank-Broadley Horse Wuon-Gean Ho 30,000 2,888 888 [15]
2015 Sheep 8,888 4,888 38 [16]
2016 Jody Clark Monkey 1,888 8 [17][28]
2017 Rooster 2,088 688 [19]
2018 Dog 1,008 888 [20]
2019 Pig Harry Brockway 8,888 1,088 58 38 [21]
2020 Rat P.J. Lynch 398 898 30 10 [22][29]
2021 Ox Harry Brockway [24]
2022 Tiger David Lawrence 888 10 [25]
2023 Rabbit Louie Maryon 388 128 8 [26]
2024 King Charles III Martin Jennings Dragon William Webb [27]

See also

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Notes

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^A Coin mass and metal content are only displayed of bullion coins
^B This feature only appears on proof coins

References

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  1. ^ Ho, Wuon-Gean. "Lunar Coin Commission for The Royal Mint". wuongean.com. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  2. ^ "2014 Royal Mint Year of the Horse Silver Bullion Coin". 24carat.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  3. ^ The 2015 Lunar Year of the Sheep UK Coins from The Royal Mint. YouTube. 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  4. ^ The 2015 Lunar Year of the Sheep UK Coins from The Royal Mint. YouTube. 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  5. ^ "Lunar Year of the Rooster 2017 UK Five Ounce Gold Proof Coin". Royal Mint. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  6. ^ "The Royal Mint 2017 Lunar Year of the Rooster Coins". chards.co.uk. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  7. ^ "Behind the design: The 2018 Lunar Year of the Dog Coins | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  8. ^ "Lunar Year of the Pig 2019 UK One Ounce Silver Proof Coin | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  9. ^ "Behind the Design year of the Rat | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  10. ^ "The Design with Harry Brockway | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  11. ^ "Lunar Year of the Tiger 2022 One Ounce Gold Proof Coin the Royal Mint".
  12. ^ "2022 Queen Elizabeth II 'Lunar Year of the Tiger' 999.9 1/4oz - 1oz Gold Proof Coins". Allgold Coins.
  13. ^ "Lunar Year Rabbit 2023 UK £5 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com.
  14. ^ "Year of the Dragon | Chinese New Year | Lunar Coin Range | Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com.
  15. ^ a b "The Royal Mint strikes the first UK Lunar coins". Royal Mint. Archived from the original on 19 March 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. ^ a b c "Royal Mints bullion Lunar Rooster range out along with revised Britannia". AgAuNews. 18 October 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  17. ^ a b "The Shēngxiào Collection returns". Royal Mint. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  18. ^ "2016 UK Lunar Year of the Monkey Silver Bullion Coin". Chard. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  19. ^ a b Starck, Jeff. "Royal Mint launches fourth annual round of coins in Lunar bullion program". Coin World. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  20. ^ a b "The Lunar Year of the Dog 2018". Royal Mint. Archived from the original on 16 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  21. ^ a b "The Year of the Pig By the Royal Mint". Bullion Exchange. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  22. ^ a b "2020 LUNARS: Royal Mint adds to its Shengxiao series with a new style for the Year of the Rat". AgAuNews.com. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  23. ^ "Lunar 2020 Year of the Rat – 1 oz Silver Coin". royalmintbullion.com. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  24. ^ a b "Year of the Ox Chinese zodiac OX | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  25. ^ a b "Year of the Tiger 2022 | Chinese New Year | Lunar Range | Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  26. ^ a b "Year of the Rabbit 2023 | Chinese New Year | Lunar Range | Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  27. ^ a b "Lunar Year of the Dragon | The Royal Mint". www.royalmint.com. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  28. ^ "2016 Royal Mint One Ounce Year of the Monkey Coin". Tax Free Gold. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  29. ^ "Lunar 2020 Year of the Rat – 1 oz Gold Coin". royalmintbullion.com. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
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