2020 Return of the Dragon Coin Bar from Perth Mint

What is a Coin Bar?

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a Dragon Coin Bar!

In 2018, the Australian Perth Mint struck a brand new coin with these rectangular Dragon Coin Bars. Inspired by the success of the Lunar Coin series, they created a design inspired by the beautiful Asian artworks of dragons. They began this design with the 2018 Australian Dragon Coin Bar in gold and silver, which were incredibly popular with collectors. As a result, the Perth Mint continued this line with annual releases ever since. Now in 2020, the Dragon Coin Bar series continues with gold and silver coin bars for investors to keep collecting.

Chinese New Year Tradition

In Chinese culture, the dragon has extreme cultural significance. They are symbols of luck, wisdom, and power. During Chinese New Year celebrations, there is always a dragon involved in street parades. A long line of people gathers together to control a dragon costume. This is called the Dragon Dance, and it is meant to welcome the new year with luck for all. The Dragon Dance has been a common practice for the New Year since the Tang dynasty (618 CE). 

During the dragon dance, there is one person who leads the dragon with a rod topped with a ball. This dragon follows the ball, its body moving in waves from the multiple handlers of the body. This ebbing gives the effect of the dragon dancing. The dragon is taken out only once a year, and, traditionally, the body is the only part kept year after year. The head and tail are burned and replaced each year.

Luck of the Dragon Coin Bar Design

Because this is a rectangular coin, there is an obverse and reverse design. The dragon coin bar obverse features the classic Jody Clark portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. She wears her royal crown earrings, and jewels. The reverse has two dragons swirling around a flaming pearl. The dragons reach for the flaming pearl, similar to how the dragon chases the rod during the New Year celebrations. 

This flaming pearl is believed to have the power to grant wishes. So, on top of the lucky dragon, the pearl is a magical force to fulfill one’s desires. However, this is not where the luck ends. The gold coin has a limited mintage of 8,888, a specific number because the number 8 is extremely lucky in Chinese culture. Whether or not these bars bring you luck, these bars also have a security detail of a micro-engraved ‘P’ Perth Mint mintmark to make counterfeiting highly difficult. The silver Dragon Coin Bar has a maximum mintage of 250,000.

Coin Bar Specifications

• Limited Mintage (Max) of 8,888
• Unique Rectangular Coin Design
• Made from .9999 fine gold with a weight of 1 troy oz
• Manufactured by the Perth Mint
• $100 Face Value
• Australian legal tender
• Comes in a protective acrylic capsule
• Obverse: Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Jody Clark. Inscriptions include ‘ELIZABETH II,” “100 DOLLARS,” “AUSTRALIA,” “2020”, as well as the weight and purity of the coin.
• Reverse: Neil Hollis’s design of stylized Chinese dragons fighting over a flaming pearl of wisdom. Inscriptions include the Perth Mint “P” mintmark.

The Perth Mint

The Perth Mint regularly produces highly innovative and expertly crafted designs, including this impeccable 2020 Dragon Coin Bar. Among their most popular products are the James Bond Tuvalu Coins. For more dragons and lucky number 8 coins, we offer the 2020 Silver Figure Eight Dragon and Phoenix Coin. 

Bullion Exchanges

Bullion Exchanges is your trusted precious metals retailer located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan’s Diamond District. Unfortunately, we temporarily closed our storefront until further notice from the impact of the coronavirus. Online orders might take between 15-30 days for shipping and handling because of international distributor delays. We are still working hard for our valued customers and are handling products with the highest care. If you have any questions, please contact us. We will be happy to help you, but we ask that you remain patient. We are working with a high volume of orders and customers at this time.