Obverse: The obverse of the coin depicts the effigy of King Charles III (Australia is a constitutional monarchy, under which His Majesty King Charles III is also the King of Australia). The coin bears the inscriptions “CHARLES III” and the name of the country “AUSTRALIA”, while at the bottom is engraved the denomination “50 DOLLARS”.
Reverse: The reverse of the 2026 Year of the Horse Perth Mint Lunar 1/2 oz gold coin features a dramatic image of a rearing horse, designed by Ing Ing Jong, set against a backdrop of mountains and grassy plains. It includes the inscription “HORSE 2026” – the Chinese character for “horse” – along with the Perth Mint’s mintmark “P”.
About the coin: Each year, The Perth Mint of Australia issues a Lunar series coin dedicated to the signs of the Chinese lunar calendar. This calendar has been in use since 2600 BC, and to this day there remains a belief in the influence that the animal sign has on the personalities of those born under it.
The Years of the Horse are: 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038, 2050.
