The 2008 1/2 oz Australia Silver Lunar Mouse is a half-ounce silver coin struck by The Perth Mint as part of its acclaimed Series II Lunar collection. Struck from .999 fine silver, this coin carries legal tender status in Australia and was issued to commemorate the Year of the Mouse in the Chinese lunar calendar cycle. The half-ounce format makes it a distinctly collectible piece within a broader series that spans twelve animals across twelve years of production.
We carry this coin in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, reflecting the quality standards maintained throughout The Perth Mint's Lunar program. It appeals to collectors who follow the lunar series as well as buyers looking to add government-issued silver in smaller fractional weights to their holdings.
The Perth Mint launched its Series II Lunar program in 2008, building on the strong reception of its original Lunar Series I that ran from 1996 through 2007. Where Series I helped establish the Australian Lunar concept as a globally recognized collector series, Series II refined the design approach with more detailed and dynamic an
…The 2008 1/2 oz Australia Silver Lunar Mouse is a half-ounce silver coin struck by The Perth Mint as part of its acclaimed Series II Lunar collection. Struck from .999 fine silver, this coin carries legal tender status in Australia and was issued to commemorate the Year of the Mouse in the Chinese lunar calendar cycle. The half-ounce format makes it a distinctly collectible piece within a broader series that spans twelve animals across twelve years of production.
We carry this coin in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, reflecting the quality standards maintained throughout The Perth Mint's Lunar program. It appeals to collectors who follow the lunar series as well as buyers looking to add government-issued silver in smaller fractional weights to their holdings.
The Perth Mint launched its Series II Lunar program in 2008, building on the strong reception of its original Lunar Series I that ran from 1996 through 2007. Where Series I helped establish the Australian Lunar concept as a globally recognized collector series, Series II refined the design approach with more detailed and dynamic animal imagery, elevating the artistic profile of the program significantly.
The Mouse, or Rat, is the first sign in the twelve-year Chinese zodiac cycle, making the 2008 release the opening coin of the Series II program. This position carries particular significance for collectors who approach the series systematically. The Perth Mint, operating as a statutory authority of the Western Australian Government and one of the most respected sovereign mints in the world, has maintained consistent production quality across every release in the series.
The Chinese Lunar calendar has deep cultural roots across East Asia, and coins tied to specific zodiac years have developed a dedicated following among both Chinese-heritage collectors and international buyers who appreciate the combination of cultural meaning, limited annual mintage, and sovereign production standards.
The reverse features a highly detailed depiction of a mouse rendered with naturalistic precision, set against a decorative background that reflects traditional Chinese artistic sensibility. The design incorporates the Chinese character for "mouse" along with inscriptions indicating the coin's weight, purity, face value, and the year of issue. The composition is more elaborate than typical bullion coin reverses, which is a defining characteristic of the Series II program compared to its predecessor.
The obverse carries the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, which appears on Australian legal tender coinage. Her portrait faces right and is accompanied by the standard inscriptions denoting her title and the coin's denomination. The contrast between the classical royal portrait and the richly illustrated reverse gives the coin a distinctive aesthetic duality that has become part of the Lunar series' appeal.
The coin's Brilliant Uncirculated finish presents the design with sharp relief and clean fields, preserving the fine detail work across both sides. The half-ounce diameter is smaller than a standard one-ounce coin but still offers sufficient canvas for The Perth Mint's engravers to deliver the level of detail the series is known for.
At half a troy ounce, this coin occupies a practical middle ground between smaller fractional pieces and the full one-ounce standard. The lower silver content relative to a full ounce makes the per-coin acquisition cost more approachable for collectors who want to complete a Lunar set without committing to the full-ounce price point across every year and denomination.
Fractional silver coins like this one are also easier to handle within a collection context, particularly for buyers assembling multi-coin displays or sets organized by year or denomination. The half-ounce size is a recognized format in the Lunar program and trades with reasonable familiarity among collectors who follow The Perth Mint's output.
Every coin in the Australian Lunar Series II was struck by The Perth Mint under exacting production tolerances, with weight and purity certified to .999 fine silver and 0.5 troy ounces. The Perth Mint is one of the few sovereign facilities in the world that guarantees the metal content of its coins by statute, which provides a level of assurance that goes beyond standard commercial minting practices.
We verify authenticity, weight, and purity for every product we handle, and our authorized dealer relationships with both PCGS and NGC give our customers additional recourse if professional grading or third-party certification is desired. Products that enter our inventory are handled according to strict standards designed to preserve their condition and confirm their specifications before they reach the buyer.
This coin is offered in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, indicating it was struck for collector purposes and has not been placed into circulation. BU coins from The Perth Mint are produced with clean dies and exhibit sharp detail with no wear. Minor handling marks or light contact points can occasionally appear on BU coins due to the mechanical nature of the minting and packaging process, but this does not affect the coin's silver content or collector status.
Individual coins ship in a protective plastic flip to prevent surface contact during transit. The Perth Mint's standard tube for half-ounce Lunar coins typically holds 20 pieces, and orders at that quantity ship in a sealed tube. Larger bulk orders ship in the appropriate sealed outer packaging consistent with The Perth Mint's standard distribution format. If you have questions about packaging for a specific order quantity, our team is available to assist before purchase.
Pricing for the 2008 1/2 oz Silver Lunar Mouse is based on the current spot price of silver, with a premium layered on top to reflect the coin's collectible status, its position as the opening release of Series II, and the production standards maintained by The Perth Mint. Premiums on older Lunar coins can vary from those on current-year releases, as secondary market supply, collector demand, and the significance of specific zodiac years all influence where prices settle.
Our pricing reflects real-time market conditions and is structured for transparency. We display both the bid and ask on each product page, which gives buyers a complete picture of the current spread rather than just the purchase price. This approach is consistent with how we believe precious metals should be priced: clearly, with enough information for the buyer to evaluate the full cost of ownership.
Australian Lunar coins from The Perth Mint are broadly recognized among silver collectors and trade actively in the secondary market. The Series II program built a global collector base, and individual coins from the series, particularly first-year releases like the Mouse, tend to draw consistent interest from buyers completing or expanding their collections.
We operate a two-way market, meaning we actively buy and sell precious metals within the same platform. Customers who purchase silver Lunar coins through us have access to our competitive buyback pricing when they are ready to sell. Liquidity is a factor worth considering at the point of purchase, not just when the time comes to exit, and our platform is structured to support that kind of forward-looking decision-making.
This coin combines sovereign issuance, cultural significance, and a well-established collector series into a single half-ounce piece. As the first coin in The Perth Mint's Series II Lunar program and the representation of the first zodiac sign, it holds a structurally meaningful position for collectors assembling a complete set. That combination of series position and sovereign backing gives it a profile that goes beyond a generic fractional silver coin.
The half-ounce format also makes it a natural entry point for buyers who appreciate the Lunar series but prefer a more measured per-coin commitment. Collectors who are building across multiple weights and years often find the half-ounce denomination a useful way to diversify their approach to the series without concentrating entirely in full-ounce pieces.
We have built our reputation since 2010 on transparent pricing, reliable fulfillment, and the kind of straightforward buying experience that serious buyers expect. Our A rating with the Better Business Bureau reflects years of consistent performance, and our memberships in the American Numismatic Association and the National Coin and Bullion Association reflect our commitment to professional standards within the industry.
Every product we sell is verified for authenticity, weight, and purity. Our authorized dealer relationships with PCGS and NGC give our customers access to professional grading and certification services when desired. We source from established mints, refineries, and distributors, and we stand behind the integrity of everything we carry. The experience we have built is designed to feel transparent rather than transactional, with support available before, during, and after the purchase.
Bullion Standard Pro gives members access to live, executable wholesale bid and ask pricing across a wide range of precious metals products, including collectible silver coins like the Lunar Mouse series. Rather than working from static retail prices, Pro members transact at real-time wholesale market levels without additional dealer markups or fixed spreads, which creates a more efficient pricing environment that reflects actual supply and demand conditions as they develop.
Pro also provides real-time portfolio valuation using live wholesale bid pricing, along with proprietary research tools that allow members to evaluate premiums, bid/ask spreads, and liquidity metrics across the broader catalog. For collectors tracking multiple coins within a series across different weights and years, having access to objective, data-driven market information rather than marketing claims makes it easier to evaluate relative value and understand how each piece is positioned in the current market.
We support a broad range of payment methods to make the buying process straightforward and secure. Customers can pay using Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, or bank-connected payments through Plaid. Wire transfer, paper check, and cryptocurrency payments through BitPay are also accepted for buyers who prefer those options.
Every transaction is handled with security and clarity as the priority. Whether you are purchasing a single half-ounce coin or a larger order, the checkout process is designed to be direct and transparent, with no hidden fees or unnecessary complexity at the point of payment.
Product ID: BST-00161798A2
| Year | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Precious Metal Type | Silver |
| Bullion Coin Type | Lunar |
| Format | Coin |
| Country of Origin | Australia |
| Brand/Mint | Perth Mint |
| Mint Mark | P - Perth |
| Purity | 0.999 |
| Weight | 0.5 oz |
| Thickness (mm) | 2.3 mm |
| Diameter (mm) | 36.6 mm |
| Inner Pack (Quantity) | 20 |
| Outer Pack (Quantity) | 100 |
The 2008 1/2 oz Australia Silver Lunar Mouse is a half-ounce silver coin struck by The Perth Mint as part of its acclaimed Series II Lunar collection. Struck from .999 fine silver, this coin carries legal tender status in Australia and was issued to commemorate the Year of the Mouse in the Chinese lunar calendar cycle. The half-ounce format makes it a distinctly collectible piece within a broader series that spans twelve animals across twelve years of production.
We carry this coin in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, reflecting the quality standards maintained throughout The Perth Mint's Lunar program. It appeals to collectors who follow the lunar series as well as buyers looking to add government-issued silver in smaller fractional weights to their holdings.
The Perth Mint launched its Series II Lunar program in 2008, building on the strong reception of its original Lunar Series I that ran from 1996 through 2007. Where Series I helped establish the Australian Lunar concept as a globally recognized collector series, Series II refined the design approach with more detailed and dynamic an
…The 2008 1/2 oz Australia Silver Lunar Mouse is a half-ounce silver coin struck by The Perth Mint as part of its acclaimed Series II Lunar collection. Struck from .999 fine silver, this coin carries legal tender status in Australia and was issued to commemorate the Year of the Mouse in the Chinese lunar calendar cycle. The half-ounce format makes it a distinctly collectible piece within a broader series that spans twelve animals across twelve years of production.
We carry this coin in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, reflecting the quality standards maintained throughout The Perth Mint's Lunar program. It appeals to collectors who follow the lunar series as well as buyers looking to add government-issued silver in smaller fractional weights to their holdings.
The Perth Mint launched its Series II Lunar program in 2008, building on the strong reception of its original Lunar Series I that ran from 1996 through 2007. Where Series I helped establish the Australian Lunar concept as a globally recognized collector series, Series II refined the design approach with more detailed and dynamic animal imagery, elevating the artistic profile of the program significantly.
The Mouse, or Rat, is the first sign in the twelve-year Chinese zodiac cycle, making the 2008 release the opening coin of the Series II program. This position carries particular significance for collectors who approach the series systematically. The Perth Mint, operating as a statutory authority of the Western Australian Government and one of the most respected sovereign mints in the world, has maintained consistent production quality across every release in the series.
The Chinese Lunar calendar has deep cultural roots across East Asia, and coins tied to specific zodiac years have developed a dedicated following among both Chinese-heritage collectors and international buyers who appreciate the combination of cultural meaning, limited annual mintage, and sovereign production standards.
The reverse features a highly detailed depiction of a mouse rendered with naturalistic precision, set against a decorative background that reflects traditional Chinese artistic sensibility. The design incorporates the Chinese character for "mouse" along with inscriptions indicating the coin's weight, purity, face value, and the year of issue. The composition is more elaborate than typical bullion coin reverses, which is a defining characteristic of the Series II program compared to its predecessor.
The obverse carries the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, which appears on Australian legal tender coinage. Her portrait faces right and is accompanied by the standard inscriptions denoting her title and the coin's denomination. The contrast between the classical royal portrait and the richly illustrated reverse gives the coin a distinctive aesthetic duality that has become part of the Lunar series' appeal.
The coin's Brilliant Uncirculated finish presents the design with sharp relief and clean fields, preserving the fine detail work across both sides. The half-ounce diameter is smaller than a standard one-ounce coin but still offers sufficient canvas for The Perth Mint's engravers to deliver the level of detail the series is known for.
At half a troy ounce, this coin occupies a practical middle ground between smaller fractional pieces and the full one-ounce standard. The lower silver content relative to a full ounce makes the per-coin acquisition cost more approachable for collectors who want to complete a Lunar set without committing to the full-ounce price point across every year and denomination.
Fractional silver coins like this one are also easier to handle within a collection context, particularly for buyers assembling multi-coin displays or sets organized by year or denomination. The half-ounce size is a recognized format in the Lunar program and trades with reasonable familiarity among collectors who follow The Perth Mint's output.
Every coin in the Australian Lunar Series II was struck by The Perth Mint under exacting production tolerances, with weight and purity certified to .999 fine silver and 0.5 troy ounces. The Perth Mint is one of the few sovereign facilities in the world that guarantees the metal content of its coins by statute, which provides a level of assurance that goes beyond standard commercial minting practices.
We verify authenticity, weight, and purity for every product we handle, and our authorized dealer relationships with both PCGS and NGC give our customers additional recourse if professional grading or third-party certification is desired. Products that enter our inventory are handled according to strict standards designed to preserve their condition and confirm their specifications before they reach the buyer.
This coin is offered in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, indicating it was struck for collector purposes and has not been placed into circulation. BU coins from The Perth Mint are produced with clean dies and exhibit sharp detail with no wear. Minor handling marks or light contact points can occasionally appear on BU coins due to the mechanical nature of the minting and packaging process, but this does not affect the coin's silver content or collector status.
Individual coins ship in a protective plastic flip to prevent surface contact during transit. The Perth Mint's standard tube for half-ounce Lunar coins typically holds 20 pieces, and orders at that quantity ship in a sealed tube. Larger bulk orders ship in the appropriate sealed outer packaging consistent with The Perth Mint's standard distribution format. If you have questions about packaging for a specific order quantity, our team is available to assist before purchase.
Pricing for the 2008 1/2 oz Silver Lunar Mouse is based on the current spot price of silver, with a premium layered on top to reflect the coin's collectible status, its position as the opening release of Series II, and the production standards maintained by The Perth Mint. Premiums on older Lunar coins can vary from those on current-year releases, as secondary market supply, collector demand, and the significance of specific zodiac years all influence where prices settle.
Our pricing reflects real-time market conditions and is structured for transparency. We display both the bid and ask on each product page, which gives buyers a complete picture of the current spread rather than just the purchase price. This approach is consistent with how we believe precious metals should be priced: clearly, with enough information for the buyer to evaluate the full cost of ownership.
Australian Lunar coins from The Perth Mint are broadly recognized among silver collectors and trade actively in the secondary market. The Series II program built a global collector base, and individual coins from the series, particularly first-year releases like the Mouse, tend to draw consistent interest from buyers completing or expanding their collections.
We operate a two-way market, meaning we actively buy and sell precious metals within the same platform. Customers who purchase silver Lunar coins through us have access to our competitive buyback pricing when they are ready to sell. Liquidity is a factor worth considering at the point of purchase, not just when the time comes to exit, and our platform is structured to support that kind of forward-looking decision-making.
This coin combines sovereign issuance, cultural significance, and a well-established collector series into a single half-ounce piece. As the first coin in The Perth Mint's Series II Lunar program and the representation of the first zodiac sign, it holds a structurally meaningful position for collectors assembling a complete set. That combination of series position and sovereign backing gives it a profile that goes beyond a generic fractional silver coin.
The half-ounce format also makes it a natural entry point for buyers who appreciate the Lunar series but prefer a more measured per-coin commitment. Collectors who are building across multiple weights and years often find the half-ounce denomination a useful way to diversify their approach to the series without concentrating entirely in full-ounce pieces.
We have built our reputation since 2010 on transparent pricing, reliable fulfillment, and the kind of straightforward buying experience that serious buyers expect. Our A rating with the Better Business Bureau reflects years of consistent performance, and our memberships in the American Numismatic Association and the National Coin and Bullion Association reflect our commitment to professional standards within the industry.
Every product we sell is verified for authenticity, weight, and purity. Our authorized dealer relationships with PCGS and NGC give our customers access to professional grading and certification services when desired. We source from established mints, refineries, and distributors, and we stand behind the integrity of everything we carry. The experience we have built is designed to feel transparent rather than transactional, with support available before, during, and after the purchase.
Bullion Standard Pro gives members access to live, executable wholesale bid and ask pricing across a wide range of precious metals products, including collectible silver coins like the Lunar Mouse series. Rather than working from static retail prices, Pro members transact at real-time wholesale market levels without additional dealer markups or fixed spreads, which creates a more efficient pricing environment that reflects actual supply and demand conditions as they develop.
Pro also provides real-time portfolio valuation using live wholesale bid pricing, along with proprietary research tools that allow members to evaluate premiums, bid/ask spreads, and liquidity metrics across the broader catalog. For collectors tracking multiple coins within a series across different weights and years, having access to objective, data-driven market information rather than marketing claims makes it easier to evaluate relative value and understand how each piece is positioned in the current market.
We support a broad range of payment methods to make the buying process straightforward and secure. Customers can pay using Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, or bank-connected payments through Plaid. Wire transfer, paper check, and cryptocurrency payments through BitPay are also accepted for buyers who prefer those options.
Every transaction is handled with security and clarity as the priority. Whether you are purchasing a single half-ounce coin or a larger order, the checkout process is designed to be direct and transparent, with no hidden fees or unnecessary complexity at the point of payment.
.png)
As low as: $61.01
As low as: $118.71
As low as: $89.41
As low as: $62.36
As low as: $60.01
As low as: $118.71
As low as: $2,151.83
As low as: $60.91
As low as: $1,914.62
As low as: $822.85
As low as: $2,095.34
As low as: $88.28
As low as: $60.36
As low as: $62.26
As low as: $61.36
As low as: $60.11
As low as: $58.36
As low as: $429.34
As low as: $583.52
As low as: $2,085.07
As low as: $1,067.19
As low as: $443.31
(833) 278-4653
