2013 Australia 1/10 oz Gold Lunar Snake BU (Series II)

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This gold coin from 2013 celebrates the Year of the Snake under the Chinese lunar calendar. Struck in a tenth of an ounce of highly pure 0.9999 fine gold, the piece belongs to the celebrated Lunar Series II. It carries a legal tender value of 15 Dollars, fully backed by the government of Australia. The reverse side depicts a detailed snake winding through a setting of grass and bamboo stalks. This side also incorporates the Chinese character representing the snake, the English phrase "Year of the Snake", and the traditional "P" mint mark of the Perth Mint. According to lunar calendar traditions, the Year of the Snake corresponds to people born in 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, and 2013. On the obverse, the coin displays the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II created by Ian Rank-Broadley. Surrounding the royal likeness are inscriptions detailing the monarch's name, the issuing country, the year 2013, the weight and purity of the gold, and the face value of 15 Dollars. The Perth Mint released a limited mintage of just 23,700 of these brilliant uncirculated coins.