Contents:
Every holiday brings a lot of joy and even more merchandise. The Mints realized that the New Year brings an opportunity, and so they’ve made special coins just for the Chinese New Year.
What do the Chinese New Year coins mean? What metals are used to mint them? We will find answers to these questions and more.
How do you go about coin lookup? Catalogues and magazines can help find a coin, but it’s a long process. Scanning apps on your phone can do the same job faster.
Overview of Lunar New Year Coins
China first started minting bits to commemorate its New Year in 1981. Today, however, the China Mint is not the sole issuer. Many other big Mints joined the fun: the Perth Mint, the Royal Mint, the Singapore Mint, and others.
Lunar New Year is celebrated between late winter and early spring. Even if you’ve never celebrated the holiday, you likely know about the Chinese zodiac cycle, a 12-year rotation that presents one chosen animal every year.
With so many designs and Mints comes big disparity. You can find Chinese New Year gold coins, silver bits, and platinum bits in Asian and Western styles. Lunar coins attract all kinds of people: сollectors and people celebrating the New Year.
“Lunar collector coins are a special series inspired by the Chinese zodiac, combining rich cultural symbolism with precious metal artistry…”
— Rolf van Zanten
Silver Mountain Website
Meaning Behind Chinese New Year Coins
New Year coins are symbolically rich. You could call them ritual, even. The meaning of these pieces changes every year. The bits represent a different animal each year, and each animal symbolizes unique traits.
For example, in Chinese culture, a rat symbolizes resourcefulness, new beginnings, and cleverness. A lunar coin with a rat symbolizes the same traits.
As we write the article, it is 2025, the year of the snake. Many cultures show a stigma against snakes, but in the Chinese calendar, a snake is a symbol of elegance, wisdom, and transformation. The incoming lunar coins will symbolize the same traits.
Popular Lunar Coin Designs
What does a typical Lunar coin look like? Beyond the animal itself, many Lunar bts designs incorporate traditional Chinese motifs:
Chinese characters (hieroglyphs). You will see 福 (fu, for good fortune) and 壽 (shou, for longevity).
Lanterns and firecrackers.
Peonies, plum blossoms, and lotus flowers.
Red or gold color accents.
The most famous New Year's issues feature such design elements.
Perth Mint (Australia): Lunar Series
Australia produced highly collectible sets. The issues are very diverse. Some show realistic, detailed animals, and some show cartoony styles.
The Perth Mint issues Lunar New Year gold coins and silver bits, in a wide range of weights (from 1/10 oz to kilo coins).
China Mint: Lunar Gold & Silver Commemoratives
China’s official Lunar bits are the most traditional in their looks. They often show Chinese calligraphy.
Chinese New Year silver coins are the most popular metal coins. There are also cheaper clad versions. The holiday is more popular in China, and with a wider audience, the company needed to make cheaper versions.
Unfortunately, the authentic Lunar bits from China are hard to get, and they are a bit less liquid compared to Canadian or Australian issues.
Royal Canadian Mint: Lunar Lotus Series
Canada is also a very popular Lunar issuer. Moreover, they found a unique niche. Their bits feature unique lotus-shaped planchets. They combine animals with floral shapes.
Perhaps it’s not surprising that Canada chose floral theming. Their most popular coin, the Maple Leaf, is all about nature, too.
Value Guide for Lunar New Year Coins
Now, if you want to buy a New Year's bit from one of those Mints, how much would it cost?
The value mainly depends on the metal chosen and the weight. Silver coins, logically, are worth less than gold ones. The heavier the coin, the more valuable it is, because it contains more precious metals.
Mint | Average Value (Silver 1 oz) | Average Value (Gold 1 oz) |
Perth Mint | $70+ | $4,400+ |
China Mint | $70+ | $4,000+ |
Royal Canadian Mint | $140+ | $4,000+ |
Please remember that bullion prices are fickle, and by the next New Year, the prices will likely be different.
Conclusion
Are you ready to celebrate the New Year or Christmas? Perhaps you are reading this after the holiday is over. In any case, consider gifting yourself or your friend a Lunar coin. It would be a gift to remember.
The Coin ID Scanner can help you on your collecting journey. The app can scan and evaluate bits, and even guides you via blogs and the AI assistant.
Facebook 
X (Twitter) 
Pinterest 
LinkedIn 
