In Stock and Ready for Immediate Shipment!
Long SOLD OUT at the Perth Mint!
You're barking up the right tree!
Celebrate 2018, the Year of the Dog, with these loyal and
friendly German Shepherds in this charming vignette
of a
mother with her puppy on this truly rare, ultra-low
mintage (ONLY 1,000) 3-coin silver proof set - while you still can!
The Perth Mint has done it again!
Large, beautiful coins in an all-inclusive package, each featuring
impressive cameo relief, and all struck in
pure
silver! This set provides three different sizes and
denominations, including the extremely popular
silver
dollar, (along with the two ounce pure silver proof,
available only in this set - and nowhere else!). Best of all, the
mintage is limited to
only
1,000 complete sets worldwide! At our low price, this set
represents a tremendous value (and a great investment!).
Don't miss out - get your set
at our low introductory price, while you still can!
Three Different Coin Sizes
•
1/2
Troy Ounce Silver Proof- A very popular size, the one-half
troy ounce pure silver proof is a large 36.60 mm in diameter - nearly
the same size as a classic U.S. silver dollar! The denomination is 50
cents.
•
1
Troy Ounce Silver Proof - This very popular denomination,
with a
one
dollar face value, may also be available singly. (
Click here
for Dog Proof Silver Dollar.)
•
2
Troy Ounces Silver Proof - This large and
impressively-sized silver proof is available only in this set! It is
not available individually or separately, we are sorry. The
denomination is 2 dollars.
All three coins are struck to the most exacting, proof standard, the
highest quality of finish available. The fields are deeply mirrored,
with the design accented in varying degrees of frosty white cameo
relief.
The Year of the Dog - Loyal,
Friendly Intelligent!
Centuries ago, the Chinese invented a calendar based on the lunar
(rather than the solar) cycle. There are twelve animals in the Chinese
lunar zodiac, each corresponding in sequence to a year rather than a
month.
Those born in the years 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994,
2006, and 2018 celebrate the Year of the Dog - man's best
friend! According to tradition, people born during a
Year
of the Dog are said to exhibit that animal’s
attributes. They are loyal, honest, intelligent,
straightforward and faithful, and possess a strong sense of
righteousness. This large coin features a German Shepherd, an
intelligent and protective breed that bonds strongly with its owner.
Intelligent,
Loyal - And Extremely
Popular!
The German Shepherd Dog (also known as an Alsatian or Deutscher Schäferhund)
is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German
Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to
1899. The breed is a working dog originally developed for herding and
guarding sheep. Because of its strength, intelligence and abilities in
obedience training it is often employed in police and military roles
around the world. German Shepherds currently account for nearly 5% of
all dogs registered with the American Kennel Club. Due to its loyal and
protective nature, the German Shepherd is one of the most registered of
breeds.
The German Shepherd first gained international recognition
following World War I, after returning soldiers spoke highly of the
breed, and animal actors Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart popularized the
breed further through the medium of moving pictures. As time
progressed, their popularity increased gradually until 1993, when they
became the third most popular breed in the United States. As of 2009,
German Shepherds had climbed to the second most popular in the US.
Additionally, the breed is typically among the most popular in other
registries. The German Shepherd Dog's physique is very well suited to
athletic competition, so they commonly compete in shows and
competitions such as agility trials.
German
Shepherds were bred specifically for their intelligence, a trait for
which they are now renowned. They are considered to be the third most
intelligent breed of dog, behind only Border Collies and Poodles. In
the book
The
Intelligence of Dogs, author Stanley Coren found that they
had the ability to learn simple tasks after only five repetitions, and
obeyed the first command given 95% of the time. Coupled with their
strength, this trait makes the breed desirable as police, guard, and
search and rescue dogs, as they are able to quickly learn various tasks
and interpret instructions better than other large breeds.
German Shepherds are highly active
dogs,
and described in breed standards as self-assured and confident. The
breed is marked by a willingness to learn and an eagerness to have a
purpose. Shepherds have a loyal nature and bond well with people they
know. However, they can become over-protective of their family and
territory, especially if not socialized correctly. They are not
inclined to become immediate friends with strangers. German Shepherds
are highly intelligent and obedient and some people think they require
a "firm hand", but more recent research into training methods has shown
they respond as well, if not better, to positive reward based training
methods.
And A Hard Worker!
German
Shepherds are a very popular choice for use as
working
dogs. They are especially well known for their police work,
being used for tracking criminals, patrolling troubled areas, and
detection and holding of suspects. Additionally thousands of German
Shepherds have been used by the military. Usually trained for scout
duty, they are used to warn soldiers to the presence of enemies or of
booby traps or other hazards. Incredibly, German Shepherds have been
trained by military groups to parachute from aircraft.
The German Shepherd Dog is one of the most widely used breeds in a wide
variety of scent-work roles. These include search and rescue, cadaver
searching, narcotics detection, explosives detection, accelerant
detection, and mine detection dog, among others. They are suited for
these lines of work because of their keen sense of smell and their
ability to work regardless of distractions.
At one
time the German Shepherd Dog was the breed chosen almost exclusively to
be used as a guide dog for the visually impaired. In recent years,
Labrador and Golden Retrievers have been more widely used for this
work, although there are still German Shepherds being trained. A
versatile breed, they excel in this field due to their strong sense of
duty, their mental abilities, their fearlessness, and their attachment
to their owner.
German Shepherd Dogs are used for herding and tending sheep grazing in
meadows next to gardens and crop fields. They are expected to patrol
the boundaries to keep sheep from trespassing and damaging the crops.
In Germany and other places these skills are tested in herding utility
dog trials also known as HGH (
Herdengebrauchshund).
This is the eleventh annual release in the
Lunar
Zodiac Series II from Australia!
Obverse
Each coin’s obverse depicts a mother
German
Shepherd dog and pup lounging in the grass with Chinese peony
flowers in the background. The legend YEAR OF THE DOG defines the
theme. The Chinese character for "Dog" is above the mother German
Shepherd, while the Perth Mint's "P" mint mark is judiciously placed to
the right, near the 3:00 position along the rim.
Reverse
The reverse of all three coins features Her Majesty,
Queen
Elizabeth II, in crowned profile facing right. This portrait,
featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl earrings, was executed
by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. The legends 1/2 OZ, 1 OZ and 2 OZ
999 SILVER guarantee the weight and purity. The legends ELIZABETH II,
the date and the denomination also appear.
Packaging
The coins are encapsulated inside an elegant, oversize luxury
presentation case with a solid wood lid (done in the style of red
Chinese lacquer), lined with black velvet and protected by a full-color
outer box. An individually-numbered certificate of authenticity is
included.
Specifications
Country |
Australia |
Mint |
Perth Mint of Australia |
Year
of Issue |
2018 |
|
|
Face
Value |
3
Dollars 50 Cents ($2 + $1 + 50 Cents) |
Weight |
108.873 g
1/2 Ounce - 15.553 g
1 Ounce - 31.107 g
2 Ounces - 62.213 g |
Diameter |
1/2
Ounce - 36.60 mm
1 Ounce -
45.60 mm
2 Ounces -
55.60 mm |
Gauge
(Thickness) |
1/2 Ounce - 1.97 mm
1 Ounce -
2.60 mm
2 Ounces -
3.42 mm |
Mintage
Limit |
1,000
Sets |
|
|
Finish |
Proof |
Composition |
.999
Fine (Pure) Silver |
Edge |
Reeded
(milled, serrated) |
|
|
Artist |
Ing Ing Jong (obverse)
Ian Rank-Broadley (reverse) |
Certificate |
Individually Numbered |
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