Reverse: the reverse of the coin depicts two mice among pumpkins. At the top of the reverse is the Chinese character representing the Year of the Mouse (Rat), below it the English translation and the year of issue “Year of the Mouse”. On the left side of the coin is the letter “P”, which is the mint mark of the Australian national mint Perth Mint.
Obverse: the obverse of the coin features Queen Elizabeth II, who is also the monarch of Australia. At the top is the inscription “ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA”, while the bottom shows the fine silver weight, purity, year of issue and the denomination “1/2 oz 999 Ag 2008 50 CENTS”.
About the coin: every year the Perth Mint issues gold, silver and platinum coins of various weights dedicated to the signs of the Chinese Lunar calendar. The Chinese Lunar calendar has been used since 2600 BC, and it is believed that the animal sign strongly influences the character and destiny of those born under it. The Lunar series silver coins of the Australian national Perth Mint are official legal tender in Australia, with the government guaranteeing the quality of the coin and the purity of the precious metal.
Mouse (Rat) (Chinese “shu”) is the first sign of the Chinese Lunar calendar.
Years of the Mouse (Rat): 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032, 2044, 2056.
People born in the Year of the Mouse (Rat): the Mouse (Rat) symbolises luck, high standards and a strong instinct for self-preservation. People born under this sign are charming and attractive, though sometimes emotionally reserved. They dislike rough behaviour and usually achieve their goals through intelligence, insight and diplomacy. They are often surrounded by many friends and their homes are full of guests. In love, they are extremely loyal and noble-hearted. Although they may enjoy gossip and keep their own worries to themselves, they are very generous to those they love. By nature, they are good critics, objective and fair, striving to complete every task carefully, responsibly and thoroughly.
