1999 1 Oz Australia Gold Lunar Rabbit (Series I) - BU

Buyback price:  $3,893.93
Bullion Standard Pro Buyback price:  $3,949.28

Product ID: BST-001653B9AC

Specifications

Year 1999
Precious Metal Type Gold
Bullion Coin Type Lunar
Format Coin
Country of Origin Australia
Brand/Mint Perth Mint
Mint Mark P - Perth
Purity 0.9999
Weight 1 oz
Thickness (mm) 2.8 mm
Diameter (mm) 32.1 mm
Inner Pack (Quantity) 20
Outer Pack (Quantity) 100
Grade BU

Product Details

Overview of the 1999 Australia Gold Lunar Rabbit

The 1999 Australia Gold Lunar Rabbit is a one troy ounce gold coin struck in .9999 fine gold by The Perth Mint. Issued in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, it represents the Year of the Rabbit in the original Australian Lunar Series I and carries legal tender status under Australian law. The coin is widely recognized among collectors and gold buyers for its high purity, government-backed issuance, and distinctive annual design tied to the Chinese lunar calendar.

We carry this coin as part of our broader selection of sovereign gold from The Perth Mint, a facility recognized globally for its precision minting and consistent production quality. The one ounce format makes it one of the most straightforward gold coins to evaluate, store, and trade.

History and Background

The Australian Lunar Series I launched in 1996 and ran through 2007, with each annual release corresponding to a sign in the Chinese zodiac. The 1999 Rabbit was the fourth coin in the series and marked a significant year for the program as it gained broader international recognition. The Perth Mint introduced the series as a direct response to growing demand for premium

Overview of the 1999 Australia Gold Lunar Rabbit

The 1999 Australia Gold Lunar Rabbit is a one troy ounce gold coin struck in .9999 fine gold by The Perth Mint. Issued in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, it represents the Year of the Rabbit in the original Australian Lunar Series I and carries legal tender status under Australian law. The coin is widely recognized among collectors and gold buyers for its high purity, government-backed issuance, and distinctive annual design tied to the Chinese lunar calendar.

We carry this coin as part of our broader selection of sovereign gold from The Perth Mint, a facility recognized globally for its precision minting and consistent production quality. The one ounce format makes it one of the most straightforward gold coins to evaluate, store, and trade.

History and Background

The Australian Lunar Series I launched in 1996 and ran through 2007, with each annual release corresponding to a sign in the Chinese zodiac. The 1999 Rabbit was the fourth coin in the series and marked a significant year for the program as it gained broader international recognition. The Perth Mint introduced the series as a direct response to growing demand for premium gold coins tied to Chinese cultural traditions, a market that had been largely underserved by other government mints at the time.

The Perth Mint itself was established in 1899 as a branch of the British Royal Mint and has operated continuously as one of the world's premier sovereign minting facilities. It became fully owned by the Western Australian government in 1970 and has since grown into a globally respected producer of bullion coins, bars, and commemorative issues. Its reputation for quality and design sets the foundation for the premium that Lunar coins historically carry in the secondary market.

Series I coins, including the 1999 Rabbit, are now complete as a set and no longer in production. That closure is meaningful for collectors because acquiring individual dates from the original series requires sourcing from the secondary market rather than new mint production.

Design and Aesthetics

The reverse of the 1999 Rabbit features a detailed depiction of a rabbit set against a natural background, rendered with a level of relief and fine detail that reflects the artistic ambition of the Lunar Series I program. The composition integrates the Chinese character for rabbit alongside the year of issue, reinforcing the coin's cultural context within the design itself rather than treating it as a secondary element.

The obverse carries the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, a portrait used across Commonwealth coinage during this period and a recognizable feature that confirms the coin's official government backing. Surrounding the portrait are inscriptions noting the face value and country of issue. The contrast between the central design elements and the fields gives the coin a polished, intentional look consistent with Brilliant Uncirculated production standards.

Authenticity and Product Integrity

Each coin in this series was struck by The Perth Mint to a declared weight of one troy ounce and a purity of .9999 fine gold, meeting the standards required for legal tender issuance and international bullion certification. The Perth Mint's production controls are among the most rigorous in the sovereign minting industry, and its gold products are accepted in major bullion markets worldwide without question of authenticity.

We verify every product for authenticity, weight, and purity before it reaches a customer. Our authorized dealer relationships with both PCGS and NGC allow us to facilitate professional third-party grading and certification for customers who prefer an additional layer of authentication, which is particularly relevant for a coin like this that carries both numismatic and bullion appeal.

Condition and Packaging

Brilliant Uncirculated describes a coin that was produced for collector and bullion purposes and has never entered circulation. BU coins retain their original mint luster and show no wear from handling or exchange, though minor contact marks or bag marks may be present from the minting and packaging process. This is expected for BU-grade material and does not indicate any defect in the coin or its metal content.

Individual coins ship in a protective plastic flip to preserve their condition during transit. Tubes typically hold 20 coins for the one ounce Lunar format, and sealed boxes are used for larger quantities at the outer pack level. Because this is a secondary market coin from a completed series, packaging configurations may vary depending on the specific inventory available. We set clear expectations at the point of purchase so there are no surprises upon delivery.

Pricing and Market Factors

The price of the 1999 Gold Lunar Rabbit is calculated using the current spot price of gold plus a premium that reflects the coin's specific market characteristics. Because this coin comes from a completed series and is no longer in active mint production, its premium can behave differently from currently issued bullion coins. Collector demand, date scarcity, and series completeness all influence how the market prices individual Lunar Series I dates relative to generic one ounce gold.

Our pricing reflects real-time market conditions rather than fixed retail markups. The bid and ask spread displayed on our product page gives buyers a complete picture of the true cost of ownership, not just the purchase premium above spot. That transparency is central to how we present pricing across every product we carry.

Selling and Liquidity

One troy ounce gold coins at .9999 purity from The Perth Mint are recognized and actively traded in global bullion markets. The Lunar Series I carries additional numismatic recognition that can expand the pool of potential buyers beyond standard bullion buyers to include thematic and zodiac coin collectors. That broader demand base is worth understanding before purchase.

We operate a two-way market, meaning customers can sell back to us at competitive wholesale bid pricing rather than needing to find a third-party buyer independently. Buyback pricing for this coin is displayed on the product page, and we encourage buyers to review that figure alongside the ask price before completing any transaction. Understanding the spread upfront is part of making a more informed decision.

Why Buy the 1999 Australia Gold Lunar Rabbit?

This coin occupies an interesting position in the gold market because it functions both as a one ounce .9999 fine gold coin and as a collectible from a completed series. The Year of the Rabbit holds specific cultural significance within the Chinese zodiac, and demand for rabbit-year coins tends to be notably active during the corresponding lunar year cycle, which can support premiums relative to other dates in the series.

For buyers focused primarily on gold content, the one ounce weight and .9999 purity place it on equal footing with any other major sovereign gold coin. For those drawn to the Lunar series specifically, the 1999 date is a fixed, finite issue that cannot be reproduced. That combination of recognized gold content and series scarcity is what makes this particular coin worth considering for a range of buyers.

Why Buy from Bullion Standard?

We built this platform around the principle that buyers deserve clear, consistent information at every stage of a transaction. Our pricing is tied directly to real-time market conditions, our bid and ask spreads are visible before purchase, and our two-way market model means we are as focused on your ability to sell as we are on completing the initial sale. That structure reflects a genuine commitment to transparency rather than a marketing claim.

Our A rating with the Better Business Bureau, along with our membership in the American Numismatic Association and the National Coin and Bullion Association, reflects the standards we hold ourselves to across every transaction. As authorized dealers for both PCGS and NGC, we are also positioned to support customers who want professional grading on coins like this one, where third-party certification can meaningfully affect resale positioning. Every product we sell is verified for authenticity, weight, and purity before it reaches you.

Get Near-Spot Pricing with Bullion Standard Pro

Bullion Standard Pro gives members access to live, executable wholesale bid and ask pricing on products like the 1999 Gold Lunar Rabbit, allowing them to see exactly how this coin is priced at the wholesale level in real time. For a secondary market coin where premiums can shift based on collector demand and series sentiment, having direct visibility into current wholesale conditions is more useful than relying on static retail price displays.

Pro members also benefit from real-time portfolio valuation based on live wholesale bid pricing, which provides a more accurate picture of current liquidation value than estimated retail figures. Proprietary tools covering premium history, spread analysis, and liquidity metrics allow members to evaluate whether a specific coin like this one is priced efficiently relative to its historical range and comparable products across the catalog.

Flexible and Secure Payment Options

We support a broad range of payment methods to make purchasing straightforward and secure. Accepted options include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, bank-connected payments through Plaid, wire transfer, paper check, and cryptocurrency payments through BitPay. Each method is integrated into a secure transaction environment designed to protect buyer information and ensure reliable order processing.

Whether you prefer the speed of a wire transfer or the convenience of a credit card, the checkout process is designed to be clear and efficient. Payment flexibility is part of how we reduce friction across the buying experience without compromising transaction security.

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