Scottsdale Lunar Gold

Samoan Legal Tender Lunar Gold from Scottsdale Mint

The Scottsdale Lunar is an annual zodiac coin series following the Chinese 12-year animal cycle, issued as legal tender of Samoa and struck by Scottsdale Mint in Arizona. The series launched in 2017 with the Year of the Rooster and will complete a full cycle in 2028. The 1oz gold bar version is produced in .9999 fine gold with Scottsdale's proprietary Certi-Lock assay packaging, which pairs physical tamper-evidence with digital authentication via a mobile app.

The gold offering includes both coins and bars, with the bar format providing an alternative to the more common coin format found in competing lunar programmes. A 1/10oz gold coin is also available for fractional buyers. The Certi-Lock packaging assigns each piece a unique set of authenticity credentials, offering a level of verification that most private-mint lunar products do not provide.

Samoa (population approximately 200,000) is a Pacific island nation that authorises several private mints to produce legal tender coins. Scottsdale Mint has become one of the most prolific issuers of Samoan legal tender bullion, and the legal tender status gives the Lunar series official sovereign backing that purely private rounds cannot claim.

Mintage numbers are deliberately calibrated around the number 8, considered the luckiest number in Chinese culture. Limited editions are struck in runs of 888 pieces, a triple-fortune figure in Chinese numerology. This attention to cultural detail reflects the series' positioning as a collector-oriented lunar programme competing in a market dominated by larger sovereign mints.

Scottsdale Lunar Gold Specifications

A 1/10 oz gold coin is also produced at .9999 purity. The gold bar version uses Certi-Lock assay packaging with digital verification, while coins are available in individual capsules or chipboard sets.

Zodiac Animals by Year

The silver versions are produced in 1/2oz, 1oz, and 2oz sizes at .999 purity (notably three nines rather than four), with standard proof-like mintages of 8,888 pieces. Special finishes include rhodium-plated (888 pieces), antique, colourised, and black rhodium-plated variants.

The obverse features the Samoan coat of arms: a shield bearing five stars and a coconut palm, surmounted by a cross, flanked by olive branches, with inscriptions including "SAMOA," face value, and year.

The silver versions provide the broadest product range, with 1/2oz, 1oz, and 2oz coins at .999 purity (notably three nines rather than the four nines used for the gold). The purity difference between silver and gold versions is not publicly explained by the mint. Standard proof-like editions carry mintages of 8,888 pieces, with special finishes produced in smaller runs: rhodium-plated at 888 pieces (triple-fortune in Chinese numerology), plus antique, colourised, and black rhodium-plated variants. Standard coins ship in individual capsules or chipboard sets of five, while Certi-Lock versions come in the proprietary tamper-evident packaging with digital verification accessible via mobile app.

Tax Treatment of Scottsdale Lunar Gold

The Scottsdale Lunar gold products are legal tender of Samoa. At .9999 purity, they meet investment gold thresholds across all major markets.

In the United Kingdom, Samoan legal tender gold coins meeting the 900+ fineness threshold qualify for VAT exemption under investment gold rules. They are not CGT-exempt (not British legal tender). For UK buyers seeking a CGT-exempt lunar coin, the Royal Mint Shengxiao Collection is the only option.

In the United States, the coins are IRA-eligible at .9999 gold purity, exceeding the 99.5% threshold under IRS Section 408(m). As sovereign legal tender from a recognised government, they meet the institutional requirements. State sales tax exemptions apply in roughly 35 states.

Canada exempts gold at 99.5%+ purity from GST/HST. The .9999 purity qualifies. Australia treats it as GST-free investment gold. In Singapore, qualifying gold coins are classified as Investment Precious Metals (IPM), exempt from the 9% GST. Hong Kong has no sales tax.

In the EU, the coin qualifies for VAT exemption under the Investment Gold Directive as a legal tender coin above 900 fineness. In New Zealand, gold at 99.5%+ purity is GST-exempt regardless of origin.

The key distinction for retirement accounts: the legal tender status from Samoa supports IRA eligibility in a way that purely private-mint rounds cannot claim. Coins issued by sovereign governments meeting purity standards have a clearer path to IRA custodian acceptance than non-legal-tender products from the same mint (such as the Scottsdale Stacker or Cowboy rounds, which must rely solely on manufacturer accreditation).

Scottsdale Lunar vs Other Lunar Zodiac Gold Coins

The lunar zodiac coin market is crowded, with at least six major programmes competing for the same collector base. The Scottsdale Lunar's position depends on what the buyer prioritises.

The Perth Mint Lunar (Series III) is the market leader, running since 1996 with .9999 purity, the widest size range (1/20oz to 10oz), and the deepest secondary-market liquidity. Perth Lunar gold coins are legal tender of Australia, recognised globally. For buyers prioritising resale ease and brand recognition, Perth sets the standard. The Scottsdale Lunar cannot match Perth's distribution network or collector base, but its lower mintages create genuine scarcity that Perth's higher production volumes do not.

The Royal Canadian Mint and Royal Mint Shengxiao Collection both offer .999 or .9999 purity with the backing of G7 sovereign mints. The Royal Mint version carries a specific UK advantage: CGT exemption as British legal tender. For UK buyers, that tax benefit alone may outweigh the Scottsdale Lunar's lower mintage appeal.

The Rwanda Lunar Ounce is the most direct competitor in terms of market positioning: another privately-struck legal-tender lunar coin with limited mintages and a distinctive visual signature (Rwanda's cracked-ice finish versus Scottsdale's proof-like polish). Both target collectors who value scarcity over liquidity.

The Scottsdale Lunar's Certi-Lock packaging, with its digital authentication capability, is a practical differentiator that most competing lunar programmes lack. Perth relies on its established reputation for authentication; Scottsdale offers a technology-backed alternative for buyers concerned about counterfeiting in the secondary market.

The "888" mintage calibration is a detail worth noting for culturally aware collectors. The deliberate use of the luckiest number in Chinese culture reflects a level of market sensitivity that positions the series specifically for buyers who engage with the lunar zodiac on cultural as well as numismatic terms.