1/10 oz War in the Pacific Gold Coin

The 1/10 oz War in the Pacific Gold Coin

The 1/10 oz War in the Pacific gold coin is a Perth Mint bullion coin commemorating the Allied campaign in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. Struck in .9999 fine gold with a $15 AUD face value, it belongs to a Perth Mint programme running since 2013 that covers two related reverse designs: the Australian/American Memorial design, with an eagle, globe, and both nations' flags referencing the 1941-1945 war years, and the Victory in the Pacific design, an eagle carrying an olive branch marking the 1945 surrender. A Battle of the Coral Sea variant has also been issued under the same umbrella.

The series stands out thematically because it is explicitly binational. Bullion designs almost always celebrate national symbols; this one honours a specific wartime alliance between Australian and American forces. Despite the Perth Mint name, the coin was created with the US market in mind: the $15 AUD face value on the 1/10 oz gold and the accessible price points across the series were designed to keep entry costs low for American buyers.

As a tenth-ounce coin, this is the smallest commonly produced fractional gold weight, around 3.11 g of gold. The format suits low-cost entry into gold, gifting, and divisibility rather than bulk accumulation, since 1/10 oz gold coins carry the highest relative premiums of any standard bullion weight. The series is sold as affordable bullion rather than a high-premium numismatic product, with the Perth Mint, a government-owned entity under the Government of Western Australia, guaranteeing weight and purity.

War in the Pacific 1/10 oz Gold Specifications

The obverse carries Ian Rank-Broadley's right-profile portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, used on Perth Mint coins from 1998, with inscriptions for "ELIZABETH II", "AUSTRALIA", the weight, purity, and face value. The reverse depends on the issue: the 2013 Australian/American Memorial design shows a stylised eagle perched atop a globe flanked by the American flag and stars from the Australian flag, inscribed "AUSTRALIAN/AMERICAN MEMORIAL" and "WAR IN THE PACIFIC 1941-1945"; the Victory design shows an American eagle in flight clutching an olive branch with both flags behind, inscribed "VICTORY IN THE PACIFIC 1945".

The series also includes a 1/4 oz gold coin (.9999, $25 AUD face value) and a 1/2 oz silver coin (.9999 silver, $0.50 AUD, 32.6 mm). The Perth Mint described bullion production as limited, but specific mintage figures for the bullion versions were not publicly disclosed; proof versions had declared mintages, such as 5,000 for the 2013 1/10 oz gold proof. At 16.1 mm the coin is tiny, so capsules or tubes are essential storage.

Tax Treatment of the War in the Pacific Gold Coin

At .9999 fineness and with Australian legal tender status, the gold coin qualifies for the investment gold exemptions in the major jurisdictions.

• Australia: GST-free as investment-grade gold (the 99.5% purity threshold is comfortably met). CGT applies on disposal, with the 50% discount for individuals holding over 12 months.
• United Kingdom: VAT-exempt as investment gold (995+ fineness). It is not UK legal tender, so unlike a Britannia or Sovereign there is no CGT exemption; gains above the annual allowance are taxable.
• United States: No federal sales tax, and most states exempt bullion. IRA-eligible thanks to its .9999 purity and sovereign mint issue. Long-term gains are taxed at the collectibles rate of up to 28%.
• Canada: GST/HST exempt as gold of at least 99.5% purity in coin form.
• New Zealand: GST-exempt at 99.5%+ purity; unlike 22ct coins such as the Eagle or Krugerrand, this .9999 coin clears the threshold.
• Singapore and Hong Kong: GST-exempt in Singapore as a qualifying legal tender gold coin; Hong Kong levies no sales tax or import duty. Neither taxes capital gains.

War in the Pacific vs Kangaroo, Eagle, and Britannia at 1/10 oz

Within the Perth Mint's own catalogue, the closest competitor is its Battle of the Coral Sea coin in the same WWII commemorative space. Against the mint's flagship 1/10 oz gold Kangaroo, the difference is design philosophy: the Kangaroo and Kookaburra change designs annually, while the War in the Pacific keeps its reverse fixed, which reduces collector interest but makes it a straightforward bullion product with modest premiums in line with other Perth Mint coins.

Among international tenth-ounce coins, the 1/10 oz American Gold Eagle is the most popular fractional gold coin in the world and the most liquid, while the 1/10 oz Gold Britannia carries the unique UK advantage of CGT exemption. Both enjoy stronger dealer recognition than a commemorative Perth Mint issue, and at this weight liquidity is already described as variable with the widest bid-ask spreads of any fractional size, so brand recognition matters more than usual. The .9999 purity does give the War in the Pacific an edge over 22ct coins in New Zealand, where Eagles, Krugerrands, and Sovereigns attract 15% GST.

On cost, the fractional mathematics applies regardless of brand: manufacturing costs are nearly the same as for a 1 oz coin but spread over one-tenth the gold, so accumulating a full ounce through ten tenth-ounce coins costs materially more than one 1 oz coin. The War in the Pacific 1/10 oz makes sense as a themed, affordable entry into .9999 gold or as a gift, not as the core of a stack.