2004 1/4 Oz Australia Gold Lunar Monkey (Series I) - BU

Buyback price:  $962.49
Bullion Standard Pro Buyback price:  $976.17

Product ID: BST-000643848C

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

Product Details

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

The 2004 Australia Gold Lunar Monkey is a quarter-ounce gold coin struck by The Perth Mint as part of the acclaimed Series I Lunar collection. Composed of .9999 fine gold and carrying legal tender status under the Australian government, this coin represents one of the most refined fractional gold formats in the modern bullion market. It is graded Brilliant Uncirculated, reflecting the exceptional surface quality and strike consistency that characterizes Perth Mint production at its best.

The Monkey is one of the most sought-after releases in the Series I Lunar program, driven by both its symbolism in the Chinese zodiac and the relatively limited mintage typical of earlier fractional gold issues in this series. We carry this coin as part of a broader offering of world gold coins that balance numismatic interest with recognized precious metal content.

History and Background

The Perth Mint launched its Series I Gold Lunar program in 1996 with the Year of the Mouse, completing the twelve-animal zodiac cycle in 2007 with the Year of the Pig. Inspired by the Chinese lunar calendar, the series was designed to honor Chinese cu

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

The 2004 Australia Gold Lunar Monkey is a quarter-ounce gold coin struck by The Perth Mint as part of the acclaimed Series I Lunar collection. Composed of .9999 fine gold and carrying legal tender status under the Australian government, this coin represents one of the most refined fractional gold formats in the modern bullion market. It is graded Brilliant Uncirculated, reflecting the exceptional surface quality and strike consistency that characterizes Perth Mint production at its best.

The Monkey is one of the most sought-after releases in the Series I Lunar program, driven by both its symbolism in the Chinese zodiac and the relatively limited mintage typical of earlier fractional gold issues in this series. We carry this coin as part of a broader offering of world gold coins that balance numismatic interest with recognized precious metal content.

History and Background

The Perth Mint launched its Series I Gold Lunar program in 1996 with the Year of the Mouse, completing the twelve-animal zodiac cycle in 2007 with the Year of the Pig. Inspired by the Chinese lunar calendar, the series was designed to honor Chinese cultural tradition while delivering coins of the highest gold purity available from any sovereign mint at the time. Each annual release featured a new animal design, making the complete series a natural collecting focus for both numismatists and gold buyers.

The Perth Mint itself has operated since 1899, originally established as a branch of the Royal Mint of London to refine gold from the Western Australian gold rush. Over the following century, it evolved into one of the world's most respected minting institutions, known for technical precision, high-relief artistry, and the consistent production of investment-grade precious metals. The 2004 Monkey sits within that long tradition, issued at a point when the Series I program had already established a strong secondary market following.

The Year of the Monkey holds particular significance in the Chinese zodiac, associated with intelligence, creativity, and adaptability. The 2004 release marked the coin's second appearance in the twelve-year Lunar cycle from the Perth Mint, and the Series I version carries the distinction of being the earlier and generally more collectible iteration compared to the subsequent Series II redesign.

Design and Aesthetics

The reverse of this coin features a detailed portrait of a monkey rendered with the naturalistic artistry that defines Perth Mint's Lunar series output. The subject is depicted against a richly engraved background, with fine surface texture that captures movement and dimensionality. The design incorporates the Chinese character for "monkey," the year of issue, the weight, purity, and denomination in a balanced composition that frames the central figure without crowding it.

The obverse carries the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, the standard portrait used on Australian legal tender coins during this period. This portrait is surrounded by inscriptions confirming the coin's denomination and Australian issuance. The overall design presents a strong contrast between the detailed reverse artwork and the precise, formal quality of the obverse, a combination that makes the coin visually distinct in hand.

The Brilliant Uncirculated finish means the fields and devices retain full luster with no signs of wear or post-mint handling degradation. Perth Mint's production standards at this purity level produce surfaces with a warm, refined appearance that reflects light cleanly and consistently across both sides of the coin.

Fractional Size and Accessibility

At one quarter troy ounce, this coin occupies a practical position in the fractional gold market. It carries enough metal content to be meaningful from a holdings perspective while remaining accessible to buyers who prefer not to commit to a full ounce in a single purchase. The quarter-ounce format also makes it a natural choice for those building a staggered position across multiple weights or adding a specific Lunar year to a collection without the cost barrier of the one-ounce version.

Fractional coins like this one typically carry a higher premium per troy ounce than their full-ounce counterparts, a reflection of the additional production cost spread across less metal. For the Series I Lunar Monkey specifically, that premium is further influenced by the coin's age, limited mintage relative to more recent bullion issues, and strong collector demand for completed Lunar sets.

Authenticity and Product Integrity

Every coin in this series was struck under the stringent quality controls of The Perth Mint, one of the few minting facilities in the world with an uninterrupted track record of producing .9999 fine gold to specification. The quarter-ounce weight and gold purity of this coin are consistent with Perth Mint's documented production standards for the Series I Lunar program, which are among the most thoroughly verified in the international bullion market.

As authorized dealers for both PCGS and NGC, we work closely with the industry's leading third-party grading services and maintain sourcing relationships built around documented authenticity. Each product that passes through our operation is verified for weight and metal content before it reaches a customer. The Perth Mint's reputation and the long-established collectibility of the Series I Lunar series together make authentication straightforward for any qualified numismatist or grading service.

Condition and Packaging

This coin is offered in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, meaning it was struck for circulation-quality presentation but has never been used as circulating currency and retains its original mint luster without visible wear. BU coins are not held to the same handling standards as proof issues, but genuine BU examples from The Perth Mint exhibit consistent strike quality, sharp design relief, and clean fields throughout.

Individual coins ship in protective plastic flips to preserve surface integrity during transit. When purchasing in tube quantities, the standard Perth Mint tube for this format holds coins securely without direct contact between pieces. Full sealed box quantities ship in Perth Mint's original sealed packaging where available. If you have questions about packaging for a specific quantity, our team can clarify what to expect before your order is placed.

Pricing and Market Factors

Like all gold bullion products, the base price of this coin moves in direct response to the spot price of gold. Because it is a quarter-ounce coin, the metal content component of the price reflects one quarter of the current gold spot rate. The premium above spot accounts for Perth Mint's production costs, the coin's legal tender status, and the added demand created by its status as a Series I Lunar release with defined collectibility.

Series I Lunar coins, particularly older dates like the 2004 Monkey, tend to carry premiums above standard bullion coins due to their finite supply and consistent collector demand. Unlike generic fractional gold products, the Monkey benefits from a recognizable narrative, a complete series structure that drives set collectors, and Perth Mint's global reputation. These factors support a premium that behaves differently from purely bullion-driven products in the secondary market.

Selling and Liquidity

The 2004 Gold Lunar Monkey benefits from strong recognition across the secondary market, particularly among collectors focused on the Chinese Lunar calendar series and buyers familiar with Perth Mint's international reputation. The .9999 fine gold content and quarter-ounce weight are globally standardized specifications that make the coin easy to evaluate and price at any point in time. Dealers, auction platforms, and private buyers all recognize this product by its series, year, and mint of origin.

We operate as a two-way market, which means customers can sell as well as buy within the same platform. Liquidity for Series I Lunar coins is generally consistent given sustained collector demand, though premiums on older fractional issues can be more sensitive to supply fluctuations than high-mintage bullion products. Understanding both the acquisition cost and the expected resale spread is something we make visible on our product pages so that buyers can evaluate the full picture before purchasing.

Why Buy the 2004 Australia Gold Lunar Monkey?

The Series I Lunar program is widely regarded as the more desirable of Perth Mint's two Lunar series, and the Monkey is consistently one of its more recognizable releases. The combination of .9999 fine gold, a quarter-ounce format, and a zodiac design tied to a twelve-year cycle gives this coin both a defined collector base and a clear place within completed set strategies. It is not a generic product that can be replicated in future years.

The 2004 date specifically benefits from being a Series I issue produced before Perth Mint expanded its Lunar program distribution. For buyers building a full Lunar set or targeting individual zodiac years, the Monkey in this format represents one of the harder dates to locate in consistent BU condition at competitive pricing. That scarcity characteristic adds a dimension that standard fractional gold bars or rounds simply do not offer.

Why Buy from Bullion Standard?

We have built our reputation on transparency and accuracy, and that standard applies as directly to a specialized product like the Series I Lunar Monkey as it does to any modern bullion coin. Our pricing reflects live market conditions, our product descriptions are grounded in what we can verify, and our customers are never pressured into a purchase that does not fit their goals. We hold an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and maintain active memberships in both the ANA and the NCBA.

As authorized dealers for PCGS and NGC, we handle numismatically relevant products like this one with a level of care and expertise that goes beyond basic bullion transaction processing. Our two-way market model means we stand behind the products we sell with competitive buyback pricing, so liquidity is built into the relationship from the start. Secure transactions, responsive support, and reliable fulfillment round out an experience designed for buyers who take their purchasing decisions seriously.

Get Near-Spot Pricing with Bullion Standard Pro

Bullion Standard Pro gives members access to live, executable wholesale bid and ask pricing across our catalog, including fractional gold coins like the Series I Lunar Monkey. Because premiums on older collectible bullion can vary meaningfully depending on supply conditions and collector demand, having real-time visibility into wholesale market pricing allows members to evaluate whether current ask prices reflect fair market value or elevated secondary market conditions. Portfolio valuation through Pro uses live wholesale bid pricing rather than estimated retail values, which provides a more realistic read on what holdings are actually worth at any given moment.

The platform also includes proprietary research tools that allow members to compare premiums, bid/ask spreads, and historical pricing across products. For a coin like the 2004 Monkey, where premium behavior can shift based on set-collector activity and available supply, these tools provide the kind of context that is rarely available through standard retail product pages. The goal is to reduce information asymmetry so that every purchase or sale is grounded in objective market data rather than assumptions.

Flexible and Secure Payment Options

We support a broad range of payment methods to make every transaction as straightforward as possible. Buyers can complete purchases using Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover, as well as PayPal, bank-connected payments through Plaid, wire transfer, paper check, or cryptocurrency through BitPay. Each payment method is processed through a secure transaction environment designed to protect both buyer and seller at every step.

Whether you prefer the speed of a wire transfer, the convenience of a credit card, or the flexibility of crypto, the checkout process is built to accommodate your preference without creating unnecessary friction. Our team is available to assist if any questions arise during the payment or fulfillment process.

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