2001 1/4 Oz Australia Gold Lunar Snake (Series I) - BU

Buyback price:  $980.84
Bullion Standard Pro Buyback price:  $994.78

Product ID: BST-0006407CB4

Specifications

Year 2001
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 0.25 oz
Thickness (mm) 2 mm
Diameter (mm) 20.1 mm
Inner Pack (Quantity) 25
Grade BU

Product Details

Overview of the 2001 Australian Gold Lunar Snake (Series I)

The 2001 1/4 oz Australian Gold Lunar Snake is a government-issued bullion coin struck by The Perth Mint in .9999 fine gold. It belongs to the first series of the Australian Lunar Gold coin program, which ran from 1996 through 2007 and featured a different animal from the Chinese zodiac each year. The 2001 issue commemorates the Year of the Snake, making it one of twelve distinct coins in the Series I lineup.

At a quarter troy ounce, this coin carries legal tender status in Australia and is fully backed by the Australian government. The Perth Mint's reputation for precision striking and high-purity production makes this coin immediately recognizable to dealers and collectors operating in the global bullion market.

History and Background

The Perth Mint launched its first Lunar Gold coin series in 1996, drawing on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar to establish a rotating twelve-year design cycle. The program was designed to appeal to both Asian-Pacific collectors and international bullion buyers, and it quickly developed a following due to the Perth Mint's consistent production quality and the annual design chan

Overview of the 2001 Australian Gold Lunar Snake (Series I)

The 2001 1/4 oz Australian Gold Lunar Snake is a government-issued bullion coin struck by The Perth Mint in .9999 fine gold. It belongs to the first series of the Australian Lunar Gold coin program, which ran from 1996 through 2007 and featured a different animal from the Chinese zodiac each year. The 2001 issue commemorates the Year of the Snake, making it one of twelve distinct coins in the Series I lineup.

At a quarter troy ounce, this coin carries legal tender status in Australia and is fully backed by the Australian government. The Perth Mint's reputation for precision striking and high-purity production makes this coin immediately recognizable to dealers and collectors operating in the global bullion market.

History and Background

The Perth Mint launched its first Lunar Gold coin series in 1996, drawing on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar to establish a rotating twelve-year design cycle. The program was designed to appeal to both Asian-Pacific collectors and international bullion buyers, and it quickly developed a following due to the Perth Mint's consistent production quality and the annual design changes that give each coin a distinct identity within the series.

The Perth Mint itself was established in 1899 as a branch of the Royal Mint of London and became a statutory authority of the Western Australian government in 1970. It has since earned recognition as one of the most technically advanced mints in the world, producing gold coins and bars that meet or exceed international hallmark standards. The Lunar Series I coins were struck with a mintmark "P" denoting the Perth facility.

The 2001 Snake issue arrived near the end of the twelve-year cycle and benefits from the refined production processes the mint had developed over the preceding five years of the program. Collectors who seek to complete the full Series I set often find the Snake issue to be a more elusive entry compared to earlier years, which adds a degree of scarcity to its market profile.

Design and Aesthetics

The reverse of the 2001 Lunar Snake features a detailed rendering of a coiled snake, the traditional symbol associated with the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac. The composition is carefully balanced, with the snake occupying the central field and surrounded by inscriptions that identify the coin's denomination, gold content, purity, and the year of issue. The design reflects the Perth Mint's approach to naturalistic imagery, emphasizing detail and fine texture rather than abstract or stylized forms.

The obverse carries the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, which was the standard portrait used on Australian coinage during this period. Her Majesty's likeness faces right and is accompanied by inscriptions indicating the legal tender denomination of the coin in Australian dollars. The juxtaposition of the classic royal portrait and the zodiac-inspired reverse is a defining characteristic of the Lunar series aesthetic.

The coin is struck in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, which means it was produced for collectors and bullion buyers rather than general circulation. The fields are smooth and reflective, and the design elements display sharp, well-defined relief. The overall finish is consistent with the Perth Mint's standard for non-proof commemorative bullion coinage.

Fractional Size and Accessibility

At a quarter troy ounce, this coin offers a more accessible entry point than the full one-ounce version of the same design while still carrying the same .9999 fine gold purity and official government backing. For buyers who want exposure to Perth Mint gold or wish to participate in the Lunar series without committing to the cost of a full ounce, the quarter-ounce format is a practical option that does not require any compromise on quality or authenticity.

The smaller format also makes it easier to manage acquisitions incrementally. Buyers building a complete Lunar Series I set often seek the quarter-ounce denominations alongside larger weights, and the fractional size provides flexibility when allocating across multiple coins in the series.

Authenticity and Product Integrity

Each coin in this listing was struck by The Perth Mint to a fineness of .9999 pure gold, one of the highest purity standards in the global bullion market. The mint's production processes are ISO certified, and the coin's specifications are stamped directly onto the surface, providing immediate verification of weight and purity at the point of inspection.

We carry authorized dealer relationships with both PCGS and NGC, which means graded submissions and authenticated products that pass through our platform are handled within a fully credentialed framework. For raw Brilliant Uncirculated coins like this one, authenticity is supported by the coin's origin from one of the world's most trusted sovereign mints and our own authentication and verification procedures. Every product that comes through us is checked for accuracy against stated specifications before it reaches a buyer.

Condition and Packaging

This coin is listed in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, meaning it has not been circulated and retains its original mint-struck surfaces without wear. BU coins are produced specifically for collector and bullion markets, and this designation indicates the coin was handled with care from the point of striking. Surface quality is consistent with what the Perth Mint delivers in standard production runs for this series.

Individual coins ship in a protective plastic flip to prevent contact damage during transit. If you are purchasing a quantity that matches a standard tube, the coins will ship in a tube format. Larger quantities corresponding to a sealed box configuration will ship accordingly. The Perth Mint's standard packaging for 1/4 oz Lunar gold coins is a tube of 20, so orders at or above that quantity will typically arrive in tube format, with multiple tubes accommodated in a sealed outer box. If you have questions about packaging for a specific order quantity, we are available to clarify before purchase.

Pricing and Market Factors

The price of this coin moves with the spot price of gold, and the premium above spot reflects a combination of factors specific to this product. As a fractional coin, the 1/4 oz size carries a higher per-ounce premium than full one-ounce coins, which is standard across fractional bullion formats due to the proportionally greater minting cost and packaging relative to metal content.

The collector dimension of the Lunar Series I also influences pricing. Because the series is complete and no longer in production, secondary market supply is finite, and demand from collectors attempting to complete the set can push premiums above what a generic fractional gold coin might command. The combination of Perth Mint quality, the coin's zodiac year-specific design, and its fractional format all factor into how the market prices this piece relative to spot.

Our pricing reflects real-time market conditions. We display the bid/ask spread on our product pages so buyers can evaluate both the acquisition cost and the expected resale value before committing to a purchase, rather than discovering that relationship only at the point of sale.

Selling and Liquidity

The 2001 Australian Gold Lunar Snake is broadly recognized across the global bullion and numismatic market. Government-issued gold coins from the Perth Mint are accepted by dealers, exchanges, and private buyers worldwide, and the .9999 fine gold standard ensures that the metal content is never in question during a resale transaction. The Lunar series in particular has an established collector base that can support demand beyond what purely generic bullion coins attract.

We operate a two-way market, which means customers who purchase from us can also sell back to us using competitive buyback pricing. We believe understanding the resale side of a transaction is just as important as the purchase, and we structure our platform to give buyers visibility into both before any decision is made. The bid price displayed on each product page reflects current wholesale market conditions and gives a realistic starting point for evaluating the full cost of ownership.

Why Buy the 2001 Australian Gold Lunar Snake?

The 2001 1/4 oz Gold Lunar Snake offers something that standard fractional bullion coins do not: a distinct, year-specific design from a completed series that appeals equally to bullion buyers and zodiac collectors. The Perth Mint's Series I program concluded in 2007, meaning this coin's design will never be repeated, and the only way to acquire it is through the secondary market. That combination of limited availability and collector demand distinguishes it from generic fractional gold products.

From a practical standpoint, the coin's .9999 purity, government backing, and Perth Mint origin make it universally recognizable and easy to transact in most resale environments. The fractional format suits buyers who want a manageable unit size without sacrificing the quality standards associated with Perth Mint sovereign coinage. For collectors pursuing the complete Lunar Series I, this coin is a necessary part of a full set across any denomination.

Why Buy from Bullion Standard?

We built our platform around the principle that every buyer deserves access to transparent pricing, clear product information, and a straightforward experience on both sides of the transaction. Our pricing reflects live market conditions without hidden markups, and we display the bid/ask spread on every product page so the full picture of ownership cost is visible before purchase. This is not something every dealer prioritizes, and it reflects a core part of how we operate.

We maintain an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and are active members of both the American Numismatic Association and the National Coin and Bullion Association. Our authorized dealer relationships with PCGS and NGC reinforce our commitment to authentication standards across graded and raw products alike. Every item we handle is verified for authenticity, weight, and purity, and we source through reputable mints, refineries, and established distributors. Our customer service team is available to answer questions before, during, and after a purchase, and our fulfillment process is built for reliability and security.

Get Near-Spot Pricing with Bullion Standard Pro

Bullion Standard Pro gives members access to live, executable wholesale bid and ask pricing, which is particularly meaningful when evaluating fractional collector coins where premiums and spreads can vary more significantly than standard one-ounce bullion. Rather than relying on estimated or indicative prices, Pro members see real-time wholesale market pricing that reflects actual supply and demand conditions. For a product like the 2001 Lunar Snake, where collector demand and secondary market supply interact with metal pricing, that level of transparency provides a measurable advantage.

Pro members also benefit from real-time portfolio valuation based on live wholesale bid prices, along with access to premium history, spread analysis, and product comparison tools that allow you to evaluate how this coin trades relative to similar products across the catalog. These tools are designed to reduce information asymmetry and give members a more complete picture of market conditions before making a purchase or liquidation decision.

Flexible and Secure Payment Options

We accept a wide range of payment methods to make the purchasing process straightforward and secure. Major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover are all accepted, along with PayPal, bank-connected payments through Plaid, wire transfer, paper check, and cryptocurrency payments through BitPay. Each payment method is supported within a secure transaction environment designed to protect your financial information throughout the process.

Whether you prefer the speed of a wire transfer or the convenience of a credit card, our checkout process is built to accommodate how you prefer to buy. Payment flexibility is part of our broader commitment to making the full buying experience as accessible and straightforward as possible for every customer.

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