2001 Australia 1 oz Gold Lunar Snake BU (Series I)

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The year 2001 marked the Year of the Snake in the traditional Chinese Lunar Calendar, a cycle that also includes years such as 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, and 2013. To celebrate, this sovereign gold coin was released as the sixth design in the celebrated twelve-coin Series I lunar collection. Struck with a limited mintage of 30,000 pieces, the coin is backed by the Perth Mint and contains one troy ounce of exceptionally pure 0.9999 fine gold. On the reverse, a snake is depicted draped elegantly over a tree branch, capturing the quiet grace of the lunar animal. The obverse presents a right-facing portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, as indicated by the small initials IRB below the neck. Surrounding the royal likeness are inscriptions detailing the coin's weight, 0.9999 gold purity, the country name Australia, the year 2001, and the face value of 100 Dollars.