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Australian Lunar Series I Gold Mouse Coin - 1 oz

The 1996 Australian Lunar Series I Year of the Mouse 1 oz gold coin was produced by The Perth Mint in Western Australia. Each coin contains 1 troy ounce of 999.9 fine gold and carries a legal tender face value of 100 Australian Dollars.

The Perth Mint introduced its first Lunar Gold Coin Series in 1996, drawing inspiration from the twelve animals of the ancient Chinese zodiac. The original Lunar Series I ran from 1996 to 2007, featuring a different zodiac animal each year. Following the success of the original twelve-year programme, Lunar Series II was launched in 2008 and continued the tradition with a new generation of designs. Its enduring popularity eventually led to Lunar Series III in 2020, making the Australian Lunar programme one of the longest-running modern precious metal collections based on the Chinese zodiac.

Perth Mint Lunar coins have developed a strong following internationally, particularly in Asian markets where the zodiac carries deep cultural significance. Their combination of precious metal content, annually changing artwork and association with each birth year's zodiac animal has also made them popular as gifts and keepsakes, in addition to their role as physical precious metal investments.

The 1996 release celebrates the Year of the Mouse, the first animal in the twelve-year Chinese zodiac cycle. In Chinese culture, the mouse is traditionally associated with intelligence, resourcefulness, adaptability and prosperity. People born during Mouse years are said to possess qualities such as quick thinking, curiosity, charm, ambition and determination. Recent Mouse years include 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 and 2008.

The reverse was designed by artist Tony Dean and depicts a mouse perched on a rocky surface, reflecting the animal's traditional association with intelligence, resourcefulness and adaptability. The design is accompanied by the Chinese character for mouse, the year-date 1996, the coin's weight and gold purity, together with a decorative beaded border. As with other releases in the collection, the artwork was created specifically for its respective lunar year, giving every zodiac issue a distinct appearance.

The obverse features Raphael Maklouf's effigy of Queen Elizabeth II together with the coin's monetary denomination. As Australian legal tender, the coin combines its 999.9 fine gold content with an official Australian dollar face value.

The 1996 Year of the Mouse 1 oz gold bullion coin was the inaugural release of Australian Lunar Series I and had a maximum mintage of 30,000 pieces. According to The Perth Mint's official mintage records, only 16,593 coins were produced, representing approximately 55% of the maximum authorised mintage. This production figure applies specifically to the standard 1 oz bullion issue, while other weights and Proof editions were issued under separate production arrangements.

For its inaugural 1996 release, Lunar Series I gold bullion coins were offered in four denominations: 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz and 1 oz. The 1 oz format represents the standard one-ounce gold bullion denomination offered by The Perth Mint, providing investors with a popular and practical way of owning physical Investment Precious Metals (IPM) in Singapore.

 

Product Details:

• Metal: Gold
• Weight: 1 oz / 31.10 grams
• Purity: .9999 fine gold
• Product Format: Bullion Coin
• Packaging: Protective Coin Capsule
• Mint: The Perth Mint
• Issuing Country: Australia
• Year: 1996
• Condition: Various Conditions
• Obverse: Queen Elizabeth II
• Reverse: Series I Mouse
• Face Value: 100 AUD
• Mintage: 13,709
• Storage Eligibility: Eligible for S.T.A.R. Storage
• GST Status: No GST
• Edge: Reeded / Milled
• Mint Mark: No Mint Mark
• Diameter: 32.10 mm
• Thickness: 2.8 mm

 

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Current Pricing Details

Points computation: 1 coin = 6.40 points

Tier	Points required	Current Purchase Price	Current Price/Gram	Current Price/oz	Percentage Over Spot (ASK PRICE)	Buy/Sell Spread
1	-	SGD 6,000.45	SGD 192.92	SGD 6,000.45	12.56%	11.74%

Tier	1
Points required	-
Current Purchase Price	SGD 6,000.45
Current Price/Gram	SGD 192.92
Current Price/oz	SGD 6,000.45
Percentage Over Spot (ASK PRICE)	12.56%
Buy/Sell Spread	11.74%

Prices last updated: 17 Oct 2026, 04:58 SGT

^* Percentages represent annual storage charges, based on the locked-in spot metal price at the time of order submission. You can lock-in storage charges for up to 5 years. See full S.T.A.R. Storage Fees here.