When privy marks were first used on coinage it was predominantly done so to identify the specific mint that produced a coin. Starting in the 1990s, the Perth Mint was among many mints to adapt privy marks for the use of limited-mintage releases to common programs in order to boost design interest. The 2018 1 oz Australian Silver Lunar Dog Lion Privy Coin is one such example. 

Coin Highlights:

• NGC MS 70
• 11^th issue in the Lunar Series II collection with distinctive Lion privy mark!
• Limited mintage of only 30,000 coins!
• Contains 1 Troy oz of .9999 pure silver in BU condition.
• Issued a face value of $1 (AUD) by Australia.
• Queen Elizabeth II is found on the obverse of the coin in right-profile relief.
• Lunar Year of the Dog design with German shepherds and a Lion privy on the reverse of the coin.

Distinctive privy marks and the Lunar Series II collection collide on this impressive release from the Perth Mint. The inclusion of a privy mark on a coin with a 30,000-coin maximum issue creates a different design interest for this particular option in the Lunar Series II collection. The Lion Privy was originally conceived of for the German market, one of the most popular for the Lunar Series II coins.

Lions have long featured in the heraldry of Germany, particularly in the region of Bavaria. The Lion Privy on these coins is included on the reverse side along with Ing Ing Jong’s silver Year of the Dog design.

On that reverse field, the 2018 1 oz Australian Silver Lunar Dog Lion Privy Coin features two German shepherds lying in a field of grass. There is an adult in the background with a young pup in the foreground. To the right side of the design field, a powerful male Lion with a massive mane is depicted in a small, circular privy mark.

The obverse of 2018 Australian Silver Lunar Dog Lion Privy Coins includes the right-profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Here, Her Majesty is shown in a design from Ian Rank-Broadley that includes the Queen wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara.