1/20 oz Chinese Lunar Gold Coin

Zodiac Gold from the Emirates at Micro-Fractional Size

The 1/20 oz Emirates Gold Chinese Lunar is a fractional gold coin featuring Chinese zodiac animal designs, produced by Emirates Gold, a Dubai-based refinery and mint. It contains 1.555 grams of 999.9 fine gold and belongs to the broader tradition of lunar zodiac bullion products that spans multiple mints worldwide.

Emirates Gold is a private refinery rather than a sovereign government mint. Established in Dubai, it is accredited by the LBMA (London Bullion Market Association) and the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), which provides quality assurance for its gold products. The Chinese Lunar series draws on the same twelve-animal zodiac cycle used by the Perth Mint, Royal Mint, and KOMSCO in their respective lunar programmes, with each year featuring the relevant zodiac animal.

At 1/20 oz, this is the smallest commonly produced troy-ounce denomination for gold coins. The absolute gold content is modest (approximately $165 at $3,300/oz gold), and premiums at this size are the highest of any standard weight class, typically 15-25% over spot. The appeal is entry-level gold ownership, gifting (the zodiac theme adds cultural significance for recipients celebrating their birth year or the current lunar year), and collecting across zodiac cycles.

The Emirates Gold Chinese Lunar occupies a different market segment from the major sovereign mint lunar programmes. It does not carry government legal tender status, which affects its tax treatment and resale liquidity. Buyers choosing this product over sovereign alternatives are typically purchasing through Dubai or UAE-based dealers, where Emirates Gold products have strong local distribution and the zero-VAT, zero-CGT tax environment makes the lack of legal tender status less consequential.

1/20 oz Emirates Gold Chinese Lunar Specifications

The Chinese Zodiac Cycle

Dragon year issues consistently command the highest premiums across all lunar programmes worldwide, reflecting the dragon's paramount cultural significance in Chinese tradition as a symbol of power, strength, and good fortune.

Emirates Gold is a private refinery and mint based in Dubai, accredited by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) and the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC). LBMA accreditation means the gold content and purity meet international good delivery standards, providing a level of quality assurance comparable to sovereign mints for the metal itself. The coin lacks the advanced anti-counterfeiting features found on sovereign mint products (no holographic elements, micro-engraving, or laser security marks), relying instead on the LBMA/DMCC certification and sealed assay card packaging for authentication.

At 14 mm diameter (typical for 1/20 oz gold coins), this is a tiny coin that requires capsule or card storage to prevent loss. The 1/20 oz denomination exists exclusively as gold coins; no mint produces 1/20 oz silver or platinum coins because the metal value would be trivial. For comparison with the 1/20 oz denomination from sovereign mints, the 1/20 oz Canadian Maple Leaf is 14.0 mm diameter and the 1/20 oz Australian Kangaroo is 14.1 mm.

Emirates Gold Chinese Lunar Tax Treatment

As a private mint product without legal tender status, the Emirates Gold Chinese Lunar has a different tax profile from sovereign mint lunar coins. The 999.9 purity is the primary factor in determining treatment.

United Arab Emirates

• VAT: 0%. Investment gold bullion is VAT-exempt in the UAE regardless of mint origin.
• CGT: None. The UAE imposes no capital gains tax.
• Import duty: None on investment bullion.

United Kingdom

• VAT: Gold at 999.9 purity qualifies as investment gold and is VAT-exempt, even from a private mint.
• CGT: Not exempt. No legal tender status from any jurisdiction. Gains above the annual £3,000 allowance are taxed at the investor's marginal rate.

United States

• IRA: Unlikely to qualify. IRS rules require precious metals for IRAs to be produced by a national government mint or an approved refinery, and must be of a certain fineness. The lack of legal tender status and sovereign mint origin is a barrier for most custodians.
• Capital gains: Taxed as collectibles at a maximum 28% federal rate.

Singapore

• GST: Gold at 99.5%+ purity in recognised forms qualifies for the IPM exemption. LBMA-accredited products are generally accepted. 0% GST.

Hong Kong

• No sales tax, no import duty, no CGT. Fully tax-neutral.

Emirates Gold Chinese Lunar vs Sovereign Mint Lunar Coins

The lunar zodiac coin market is dominated by sovereign government mints, and the Emirates Gold product is a niche alternative rather than a direct competitor.

The Chinese Lunar coins from the People's Bank of China are the original programme, running since 1981. They are legal tender denominated in Yuan, with strictly limited mintages and a range of formats including scallop and fan shapes found nowhere else. At 999 fine (three nines), they have lower purity than the Emirates Gold product but carry sovereign backing and deep collector markets in East Asia. Chinese Lunars are not IRA-eligible and face potential US import tariffs.

The Perth Mint's Australian Lunar series, running since 1996, is the benchmark for lunar bullion investment. Perth Mint Lunars are 999.9 fine, carry Australian legal tender status, have well-established secondary markets globally, and are IRA-eligible. The 1/20 oz Perth Mint gold (from the Kangaroo series, not the Lunar) is the closest sovereign-mint equivalent at this weight.

The 1/10 oz Royal Mint Lunar offers UK CGT exemption as British legal tender, though it is a 1/10 oz (double the gold content) and carries higher premiums since the Royal Mint shifted to Proof/BU finishes after 2020.

The Emirates Gold Chinese Lunar is best suited to buyers in the UAE and broader Gulf region, where Emirates Gold products have strong local distribution, VAT is zero on investment gold, and there is no capital gains tax. In these markets, the lack of sovereign legal tender status carries minimal practical disadvantage. For buyers in the UK, US, Canada, or Australia, the tax and IRA disadvantages of a private mint product make sovereign alternatives the more practical choice.