2004 1/20 Oz Australia Gold Lunar Monkey (Series I) - BU

Buyback price:  $200.72
Bullion Standard Pro Buyback price:  $203.57

Product ID: BST-001615239E

Specifications

Year 2004
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 0.05 oz
Thickness (mm) 1.4 mm
Diameter (mm) 14.1 mm
Grade BU

Product Details

Overview of the 2004 Australia Gold Lunar Monkey (Series I)

The 2004 Australia Gold Lunar Monkey is a fractional bullion coin from The Perth Mint, struck in .9999 fine gold at a weight of 1/20 troy ounce. It forms part of the original Gold Lunar Series I, which ran from 1996 through 2007 and followed the twelve-year cycle of the Chinese Lunar calendar. The Monkey coin represents the Year of the Monkey and carries legal tender status under Australian law.

We carry this coin in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, making it an appealing option for collectors and bullion holders who want both metal content and strong visual presentation from a recognized sovereign mint.

History and Background

The Perth Mint launched its Gold Lunar Series I in 1996 as part of a broader effort to produce coins that combined investment-grade gold with culturally significant design themes. Drawing from the Chinese Zodiac, each annual release featured a different animal, and the series quickly developed a dedicated following among collectors in Australia, Asia, and beyond.

The Perth Mint itself has operated since 1899 and is one of the most respected minting facilities in the world. Its long track record

Overview of the 2004 Australia Gold Lunar Monkey (Series I)

The 2004 Australia Gold Lunar Monkey is a fractional bullion coin from The Perth Mint, struck in .9999 fine gold at a weight of 1/20 troy ounce. It forms part of the original Gold Lunar Series I, which ran from 1996 through 2007 and followed the twelve-year cycle of the Chinese Lunar calendar. The Monkey coin represents the Year of the Monkey and carries legal tender status under Australian law.

We carry this coin in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, making it an appealing option for collectors and bullion holders who want both metal content and strong visual presentation from a recognized sovereign mint.

History and Background

The Perth Mint launched its Gold Lunar Series I in 1996 as part of a broader effort to produce coins that combined investment-grade gold with culturally significant design themes. Drawing from the Chinese Zodiac, each annual release featured a different animal, and the series quickly developed a dedicated following among collectors in Australia, Asia, and beyond.

The Perth Mint itself has operated since 1899 and is one of the most respected minting facilities in the world. Its long track record of producing high-purity gold coins to exacting standards has helped establish the Lunar series as a legitimate collectible alongside its bullion role. The Monkey, issued in 2004, was the ninth release in the Series I lineup and remains a sought-after date within the complete set.

Because Series I coins are no longer being produced, the 2004 Monkey represents a closed chapter in the series. That finite production window contributes to its ongoing recognition among collectors who seek specific year and denomination combinations.

Design and Aesthetics

The reverse of this coin features a detailed depiction of a monkey, rendered with the naturalistic precision that characterizes Perth Mint craftsmanship throughout the Lunar Series I. The design reflects both the symbolic attributes of the Monkey in Chinese tradition and the artistic standards associated with this series. Year of issue, face value, metal weight, and purity are all inscribed on the reverse field.

The obverse carries the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, standard on Australian legal tender coins of this era. The portrait is surrounded by inscriptions identifying the coin as Australian currency. The coin's small diameter in the 1/20 oz format results in a compact, refined appearance where fine detail becomes especially noticeable under magnification.

Fractional Size and Accessibility

At 1/20 of a troy ounce, this coin offers entry into .9999 fine gold at a lower per-unit price than full-ounce formats. That fractional sizing makes it practical for buyers looking to accumulate gold in smaller increments or to add a specific Lunar year to a collection without committing to a larger denomination.

Fractional Perth Mint gold coins also lend themselves to gifting and display given their size and the craftsmanship behind them. The 1/20 oz format sits at the smaller end of the Lunar Series denomination range, which historically included sizes from 1/20 oz up to 1 kilogram, making this coin one of the more accessible options within the broader set.

Authenticity and Product Integrity

The Perth Mint produces its Gold Lunar coins to a fineness of .9999, placing them among the purest gold coins commercially available. Each coin is struck under the Mint's quality control standards and carries inscriptions confirming weight and purity directly on the coin itself. These inscriptions serve as a built-in verification reference that supports confidence in secondary market transactions.

We are authorized dealers for both PCGS and NGC, and we verify all products for authenticity and condition before they are offered for sale. For collectors interested in professional certification of this coin, submission through either grading service is an option worth considering, particularly for coins intended as key dates within a Series I Lunar collection.

Condition and Packaging

Brilliant Uncirculated, often abbreviated as BU, indicates a coin that has not been placed into circulation and retains its original mint-struck surfaces. BU coins may show minor contact marks from handling during the minting and packaging process, but they should not exhibit the wear associated with circulated coinage. For a coin of this age and format, BU condition represents the standard collector grade for non-certified examples.

Individual coins ship in a protective plastic flip to preserve surface condition during transit. The Perth Mint packaged the 1/20 oz Lunar coins in tubes during original production, typically in quantities of 25, and a full sealed box contains multiple tubes. If you are purchasing a larger quantity, packaging will follow this tube and sealed box structure. Single coin orders will arrive in a flip regardless of the original mint packaging format.

Pricing and Market Factors

Pricing for this coin reflects the current spot price of gold plus a premium that accounts for several converging factors. The Perth Mint's reputation, the coin's legal tender status, the collectible nature of the Lunar Series I, and the added demand for the Monkey date all contribute to a premium structure that tends to sit above standard fractional bullion coins from the same mint.

Fractional gold coins generally carry higher per-ounce premiums than larger denominations due to production costs relative to metal content. For the 1/20 oz Monkey specifically, the combination of its fractional format and its standing as a closed-series collectible means premiums are driven by more than just minting costs. Our pricing reflects real-time market conditions and is displayed transparently so buyers can evaluate what they are paying relative to spot.

Selling and Liquidity

The Perth Mint's Lunar Series coins enjoy broad recognition across international bullion and numismatic markets. The .9999 purity standard and the legal tender backing from Australia provide a recognized baseline that supports resale across dealer networks, auction platforms, and collector marketplaces. The Monkey date within Series I carries collector demand beyond pure spot-based liquidity, which can influence bid pricing depending on market conditions at the time of sale.

We operate a two-way market that supports both purchases and sales within the same platform. Buyers who acquired this coin through us can return to sell using competitive buyback pricing without having to locate a separate buyer or navigate an unfamiliar resale channel. We believe understanding the resale side of a transaction is as important as the acquisition price, and our platform is structured accordingly.

Why Buy the 2004 Australia Gold Lunar Monkey?

The 2004 Gold Lunar Monkey occupies a specific position that broader bullion coins do not. It combines .9999 fine gold content with legal tender status, Perth Mint craftsmanship, and a collectible series backstory that resonates with both bullion holders and Lunar calendar collectors. Unlike generic fractional gold rounds, this coin belongs to a defined twelve-year series that cannot be extended or reissued in the original format.

For collectors working to complete a Series I set, the Monkey is a necessary date. For buyers with a personal or cultural connection to the Year of the Monkey, the coin carries meaning beyond its metal content. The 1/20 oz size keeps the acquisition cost accessible while delivering a coin with stronger series context than most fractional bullion options at this weight.

Why Buy from Bullion Standard?

We have been operating in the physical precious metals market since 2010 and have built our reputation on transparent pricing, reliable fulfillment, and straightforward customer support. Every product we sell is verified for authenticity, weight, and purity before it reaches a customer. Our A rating with the Better Business Bureau and memberships in both the American Numismatic Association and the National Coin and Bullion Association reflect the standards we hold ourselves to across every transaction.

Our two-way market model means you are not buying from a one-directional retailer. We price competitively on both the buy and sell side, which gives you a clearer picture of true cost of ownership before a purchase is ever made. For a collectible like the Series I Lunar Monkey, where both bullion and numismatic dynamics influence pricing, that kind of transparency makes a meaningful difference.

Get Near-Spot Pricing with Bullion Standard Pro

Bullion Standard Pro gives members access to live, executable wholesale bid and ask pricing across a wide range of precious metals products, including fractional and collectible gold coins like the Lunar Series I Monkey. Rather than relying on static retail prices, Pro members see real-time pricing that reflects actual wholesale market conditions, which is particularly useful for evaluating premiums on coins where collector demand and bullion value intersect in ways that are not always obvious from spot price alone.

Pro also provides real-time portfolio valuation using current wholesale bid pricing, along with proprietary market intelligence tools that help members understand how premiums, bid/ask spreads, and liquidity have behaved over time for specific products. For buyers who want to approach the fractional gold market with the same data-driven perspective applied to larger bullion positions, Pro is designed to deliver that level of transparency and analytical depth.

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 via BitPay. Each method is processed through a secure transaction environment, and our checkout process is designed to minimize friction while maintaining the security standards our customers expect.

Whether you prefer a traditional payment method or a digital alternative, we accommodate the full range of buyer preferences without compromising on transaction integrity. For larger purchases, wire transfer typically offers the most cost-efficient path, and our team is available to assist with any questions about payment processing before or after a transaction is initiated.

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