1oz UK Silver Lunar Monkey coin 2016

2016 1oz Silver Lunar Monkey

After the success of the Royal Mint’s Chinese zodiac collection, 2016 saw the 3^rd coin released in this series and it was the Silver Lunar Monkey. This is a brand-new bullion finish coin, issued by the Royal Mint. Coins will be packaged loose for small quantities and orders of 25 or more may come in Royal Mint tubes, and bulk orders in monster boxes of 500.

The obverse of the coin contains the fifth portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II along with the coins monetary value.

The reverse features a design by the Royal Mint’s designer Wuong-Gean Ho. It depicts a monkey at play in its natural habitat swinging through the trees.

This coin contains 1 troy ounce of fine silver and has a face value of £2, qualifying it as legal tender.

There was limited mintage of 138,888 coins. The coin is also produced as a Gold Lunar Monkey.

2016 Year of the Monkey

In the Chinese zodiac, each year is associated with one of 12 animals and one of five elements and these signs are meant affect your personality.

These zodiac sign/element combinations occur once every 60 years.

2016 was a Chinese Fire Monkey.

The 2016 Fire Monkey was said to be ambitious and adventurous but also irritable.

Famous Monkeys include Tom Hanks (Fire Monkey), Will Smith (Earth Monkey) and Justin Timberlake (Gold Monkey).

Our Expert Opinion

We see strong demand for the Royal Mint Lunar Series, and the Monkey is no different. It’s a very attractive silver bullion coin, benefiting from the Mint’s strong quality production and finishes.

The coin commands a premium over mass-produced silver coins due to its lower production figures and collectible nature. It strikes a great balance in appealing to both coin collectors, seeking to own the entire Lunar series, and silver investors, who seek a liquid, divisible, tax-efficient silver coin.

Demand for the Lunar series is boosted by the Chinese theme, and UK heritage, both of which resonate strongly in the significant Chinese precious metals market. The Royal Mint have wisely recognised the value in producing coins which appeal to the Asian market, which is reflected in their shift from a 22 carat Britannia to pure gold from 2013 onwards. Buyers in Asia always prefer 24 carat gold.

If you’re not interested in limited issue coins and are solely focussed on getting more tax-free silver for your money, then buying Silver Britannias may be a consideration. Combining the Britannia with the Royal Mint’s Lunar Series, Queen’s Beast series and Landmark Series, will produce a varied and tax efficient portfolio.