Overview of the 2013 Australian Gold Lunar Snake (Series II)

The 2013 Australian Gold Lunar Snake is a one troy ounce coin struck in .9999 fine gold and issued by the Perth Mint as part of its highly regarded Lunar Series II collection. Produced under the authority of the Australian government, the coin carries legal tender status and features the iconic Perth Mint "P" mintmark. It was released in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, reflecting the precision and care that defines the Perth Mint's production standards across its premium coin programs. We carry this coin as part of our broader offering of government-issued gold, presenting it to buyers who recognize the Series II Lunar program as one of the more respected annual coin series from any sovereign mint. The Snake is the eighth animal in the twelve-year Lunar cycle, making the 2013 release a specific and non-repeating edition within the series.

History and Background

The Perth Mint introduced its Lunar coin series to honor the Chinese Zodiac calendar, producing a new design each year to represent a different animal in the twelve-year cycle. The original Lunar Series I ran from 1996 through 2007, and Series II launched in 2008 with a fresh design approach and a commitment to higher relief and more detailed artistry. Each annual release in the series is struck in gold, silver, and platinum across multiple denominations, with the one-ounce gold format being among the most sought-after. The Perth Mint itself has operated since 1899 and holds a reputation as one of the world's premier sovereign minting facilities. Originally established as a branch of the British Royal Mint, it became a fully independent enterprise under the Western Australian government and has since developed a global presence in both bullion and numismatic products. Its Lunar series is distributed internationally and has developed a consistent collector base across Asia, North America, and Europe. The Year of the Snake in the Chinese Zodiac is associated with wisdom, refinement, and quiet determination, characteristics that informed the artistic direction of the 2013 release. As a fixed-year design, the coin will not be struck again in this format, which distinguishes it from open-issue bullion coins produced continuously over multiple years.

Design and Aesthetics

The reverse of the 2013 Gold Lunar Snake features a detailed depiction of a snake rendered with careful attention to texture and dimensionality. The design incorporates natural foliage elements that frame the central figure, giving the composition an organic quality consistent with the artistic standards the Perth Mint maintained throughout Series II. The year of issue, the weight, the purity designation of 9999 gold, and the face value are all inscribed on the reverse, completing the coin's identifying details. The obverse carries the Ian Rank-Broadley effigy of Queen Elizabeth II, a portrait used widely across Commonwealth coinage during this period. It is accompanied by the denomination of 100 Australian dollars and the issuing country's name. The effigy is struck with the same precision found across the reverse, maintaining visual consistency from one side to the other. The coin's Brilliant Uncirculated finish means the surfaces were produced from polished planchets under controlled minting conditions, yielding sharp relief, clean fields, and well-defined design elements. The result is a coin that reads clearly and holds its detail, distinguishing it from coins struck purely for bullion circulation rather than collector presentation.

Authenticity and Product Integrity

The Perth Mint is one of a small number of sovereign minting facilities globally that produces .9999 fine gold coins at scale, and its quality controls are among the most rigorous in the industry. Each coin in the Lunar Series II program is struck to precise weight and purity tolerances, with the specifications confirmed by the mint's own authentication standards before release. The "P" mintmark is a consistent identifier for Perth-issued coins and functions as part of the coin's provenance trail. We verify authenticity and condition for every product we handle. Our authorized dealer relationships with both PCGS and NGC mean that coins requiring third-party grading or certification can be processed through the two most recognized grading services in the industry. For buyers who want additional certification beyond the mint's own quality assurance, those options are accessible through us directly.

Condition and Packaging

Brilliant Uncirculated, often abbreviated as BU, refers to a coin that has not been placed into circulation and retains its original mint-produced surfaces. Unlike Proof coins, which are struck multiple times on specially polished planchets for collector presentation, BU coins are struck once using polished dies on prepared planchets, producing a sharp and clean result without the mirrored contrast of a Proof finish. The grade reflects the coin's production quality rather than a grading service's assessment, and no third-party grading service is involved with this listing. Individual coins ship in a protective plastic flip to preserve the surfaces during transit. Tubes of 20 coins are the standard inner pack configuration for one-ounce Perth Mint Lunar gold coins, and larger quantity orders ship in the sealed tube format appropriate to that volume. Outer case quantities for the Lunar gold series are typically packed to align with standard wholesale distribution formats, and we package accordingly to maintain condition from our inventory to your door.

Pricing and Market Factors

Pricing for the 2013 Gold Lunar Snake is determined by the real-time spot price of gold combined with a premium that reflects the coin's specific characteristics. The premium accounts for the Perth Mint's reputation, the precision of Series II production, the annual and non-repeating nature of the design, and the collector demand that has developed around the Lunar program over time. Because this coin is no longer in active production, secondary market supply is finite, which can cause the premium to behave differently than it would for a currently issued coin. Our pricing reflects live market conditions and is structured to provide clarity at the point of purchase. We display the bid/ask spread on each product page so buyers can evaluate the full picture of what they are paying and what the current resale environment looks like. This transparency is part of how we approach pricing across the entire catalog, not just for discontinued or collectible issues.

Selling and Liquidity

One-ounce gold coins from the Perth Mint's Lunar series are recognized by dealers and collectors worldwide, and the standardized weight and .9999 purity make them straightforward to verify and price at resale. The gold content alone provides a consistent baseline, and the added recognition of the series typically supports demand among Lunar collectors who are completing the twelve-year set. We operate a two-way market, meaning customers can sell back to us using competitive buyback pricing, not just purchase. Liquidity should factor into any buying decision, and we present both sides of the transaction before the purchase is made. Buyers can evaluate the bid/ask spread on this coin's product page to understand current resale pricing relative to the ask price.

Why Buy the 2013 Australian Gold Lunar Snake?

The 2013 Gold Lunar Snake occupies a specific position in the Series II program that cannot be replicated. As a fixed-year release from a recognized sovereign mint, it appeals both to buyers building the twelve-year Lunar set and to those who simply want a one-ounce .9999 gold coin with more visual character than a standard bullion issue. The Perth Mint's production quality means the design is rendered with a level of detail that distinguishes it from lower-tier annual programs. The coin's combination of sovereign backing, legal tender status, .9999 purity, and a defined year-specific design gives it a profile that is more layered than a generic gold round while remaining practical in terms of size and recognizability. For buyers who care about both the metal content and the specific product they are holding, the Lunar Snake offers a meaningful option within the one-ounce gold category.

Why Buy from Bullion Standard?

We have built our business around transparency and long-term customer trust, and that approach extends to every product in our catalog. Our pricing is tied to real-time market conditions, and we display the bid/ask spread so buyers can evaluate both the cost of entry and the current resale environment before committing. There are no hidden markups or late-stage surprises in our pricing structure. Every product we sell is verified for authenticity, weight, and purity. We source from reputable mints, refineries, and established distributors, and our authorized dealer status with both PCGS and NGC reflects the seriousness with which we approach authentication. We hold an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and maintain active membership in both the American Numismatic Association and the National Coin and Bullion Association. Our two-way market model means we are equally committed to the selling side of the transaction, not just the purchase. Customer support is accessible and staffed by people who understand precious metals. From the moment you place an order through post-purchase questions or eventual resale, our goal is to make the experience clear, efficient, and professional.

Get Near-Spot Pricing with Bullion Standard Pro

Bullion Standard Pro gives members access to live, executable wholesale bid and ask pricing on products including the 2013 Gold Lunar Snake, rather than the estimated or indicative pricing commonly found across the industry. For a coin like this one, where the premium reflects both the metal content and the collector profile of the series, understanding exactly where the product trades at the wholesale level provides meaningful context that retail pricing alone does not reveal. Pro members also benefit from real-time portfolio valuation based on live wholesale bid pricing, along with proprietary research tools that allow products to be compared across premiums, bid/ask spreads, liquidity metrics, and historical pricing data. For buyers who want to evaluate how the Lunar Snake's premium has behaved over time or how it compares to other one-ounce gold coins in the market, these tools make that kind of objective analysis accessible within the same platform where the transaction takes place.

Flexible and Secure Payment Options

We support a wide range of payment methods to make completing your purchase 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 processed through BitPay. Each payment channel is integrated with security in mind, and the checkout experience is designed to give buyers confidence at every step of the transaction.