1 oz Perth Mint Lunar Gold Bar

Government-Backed Zodiac Gold From Australia's Oldest Mint

The 1 oz Perth Mint Lunar gold bar carries one troy ounce (31.1035g) of 999.9 fine gold with an annually changing Chinese zodiac design, produced by the Perth Mint, a government-owned institution of Western Australia. The Lunar program is Perth Mint's most celebrated bullion line, having run continuously since 1996 across three 12-year zodiac cycles. The bar format offers the same zodiac themes and LBMA-accredited gold as the better-known Perth Lunar coins, but in a format that typically carries lower premiums per ounce.

Perth Mint's Lunar program was the first major western bullion series to incorporate Chinese zodiac themes, predating similar offerings from PAMP Suisse (2012) and the Royal Mint. The program was designed to serve the Asia-Pacific market, where the Chinese lunar calendar carries deep cultural significance. Three complete series have been issued or planned: Series I (1996 to 2007), Series II (2008 to 2019), and Series III (2020 to 2031, currently in progress). Each year features the corresponding zodiac animal, with Dragon years consistently the most sought-after, reflecting the dragon's status as the most auspicious symbol in Chinese culture.

The bar format adds a further option for buyers who want Perth Mint Lunar gold without the numismatic premiums that older and scarcer coin vintages can attract. Unlike the coins, bars do not carry Australian legal tender status or face values, which affects their tax treatment in certain jurisdictions. For buyers focused on the gold content and zodiac design rather than legal tender advantages, the bar provides a cost-efficient path into the Lunar series.

Perth Mint Lunar 1 oz Gold Bar Specifications

Zodiac Cycle

The current Series III runs from 2020 to 2031. The bar design features the zodiac animal on the obverse with the Perth Mint logo, weight, and purity markings. Series III products include micro-laser engraved security features and a small "P" mintmark for authentication.

Tax Treatment of the Perth Lunar Gold Bar

The Perth Lunar bar is a gold bar, not a coin, and does not carry legal tender status or a face value. This distinguishes its tax treatment from the Perth Lunar coin series, which carries Australian dollar face values.

• United Kingdom: VAT-exempt as investment gold (999.9 purity). Subject to Capital Gains Tax. Not CGT-exempt because bars are not UK legal tender. UK buyers who want zodiac-themed gold with CGT exemption should consider the Perth Mint Lunar coin instead (though it is also not CGT-exempt in the UK, as it lacks a sterling face value).
• United States: No federal sales tax; state exemptions vary. IRA-eligible: 999.9 purity exceeds the IRS 99.5% minimum. Capital gains at the collectibles rate (28% maximum).
• Australia: GST-free as investment-grade gold (99.5%+ purity). Subject to CGT, with a 50% discount for assets held over 12 months. Perth Mint operates its own depository storage program for Australian residents.
• European Union: VAT-exempt as investment gold under the EU Gold Directive.
• Canada: GST/HST-exempt for gold at 99.5%+ purity. RRSP-eligible through approved dealers.
• Singapore: GST-exempt under the IPM scheme. No capital gains tax. Strong demand in Singapore for zodiac-themed gold.
• Hong Kong: No sales tax, no import duties, no capital gains tax.
• New Zealand: GST-exempt for gold at 99.5%+ purity.

Perth Lunar Bar vs PAMP Lunar, Perth Lunar Coin, and Standard Perth Bar

The most direct competitor is the 1 oz PAMP Lunar bar, which also features Chinese zodiac designs on 999.9 fine gold in assay packaging. Both are LBMA-accredited and carry annual design changes. PAMP's advantages include Veriscan digital authentication (from 2017) and stronger brand recognition in European markets. Perth Mint's advantages are sovereign government backing (Western Australia) and deeper history with the Lunar theme (since 1996 versus PAMP's 2012). The PAMP Lunar Legend series (2024 onwards) takes a more narrative, mythological approach to the zodiac, while Perth Mint hews closer to traditional animal depictions. Premiums are generally comparable, with PAMP typically carrying a modest margin above Perth.

The Perth Lunar coin series, in 1 oz gold, is the same mint's flagship Lunar product and the original from which the bar format derives. The coins carry Australian legal tender status (AUD $100 face value for the 1 oz gold), which does not translate to CGT exemption in most markets outside Australia (unlike UK legal tender coins). The coins attract higher premiums than bars, particularly for earlier series and Dragon years, where limited mintages have created significant secondary-market premiums. The bar format exists partly to offer the Lunar zodiac experience at a lower entry point for buyers who prioritise gold content over collectible and legal tender attributes.

The standard 1 oz Perth Mint bar carries the familiar Perth Mint kangaroo design without annual variation. It is typically the cheapest Perth Mint gold bar available at this weight. Buyers who want Perth Mint provenance at the lowest possible premium and have no interest in the zodiac theme should consider the standard bar. The Lunar bar's premium above the standard reflects the collectible design and more limited production.

The 1 oz Kinebar from Argor-Heraeus offers a different kind of enhanced bar: a fixed holographic security feature rather than an annually changing collectible design. For buyers who prioritise authentication over collectibility, the Kinebar's embossed Kinegram provides instant visual verification. For buyers who value the cultural dimension of the zodiac series, the Perth Lunar offers something no generic security feature can match.