
1 Ounce Gold Lunar III Horse 2026 (Mintage: 188 | High Relief | Proof)

- Powerful design: rearing horse
- Perth Mint: mint since 1899
- Elegant gift: in red case
- Powerful designFlowing mane and finely modelled muscles against mountain backdrop
- Perth MintFrom Australia's most storied mint
- Elegant giftDelivered in a red case with gold embossing
Lunar III, Year of the Horse 2026
The horse rears,behind it mountains and grassland.


Image of the animal side: a rearing horse against mountains and grassland, at the top left the character 馬 and HORSE 2026, on the right a P
The animal of the year
A design by Ing Ing Jong
The line above follows the description of The Perth Mint.
The year’s silver coin bears a different image, also by Ing Ing Jong: a mare with her foal at a gallop.
The Perth Mint presents the horse under the heading “Symbol of strength”.
The character 馬
At the top left is the Chinese character for horse, below it HORSE 2026, on the right the P of The Perth Mint.
The Year of the Horse began on 17 February 2026.

Head and mane

The character 馬

Name and year
The series
One animal a year since 1996
In 1996 The Perth Mint became the first mint to release an Australian lunar programme, as it states. Each series follows the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac: Lunar I from 1996 to 2007, Lunar II from 2008 to 2019, Lunar III from 2020 to 2031.
Each year one animal is added, and the snake, the horse and the goat each have separate designs for gold and silver. The snake is the sixth animal of Lunar III, the horse the seventh, the goat the eighth.
Since the snake of 2025, the effigy side has shown King Charles III, portrayed by Dan Thorne.

Snake2025

Horse2026

Goat2027
The mint
The P of Perth
The Perth Mint was founded in a gold rush. In 1892 a find near Coolgardie set off Australia’s second great gold rush of the 19th century. Premier Sir John Forrest did not want the gold to leave Western Australia for processing and secured a branch of the Royal Mint in Perth.
On 20 June 1899 the first gold was processed and struck there, and The Perth Mint has operated continuously on the same site in East Perth ever since. The sovereigns from Perth carried a small P above the date.
The designs of the snake, the horse and the goat also bear a P, as The Perth Mint’s mintmark. Today it is owned by the State of Western Australia.

The finish
In high relief
For the High Relief, The Perth Mint strikes the animal side and the effigy side on domed blanks, so that the metal flows well into the die when the coin is struck.
The high relief brings out the fine details of the design, according to The Perth Mint. The design is that of the bullion coin in the same metal.

At a glance
- Issuer
- The Perth Mint
- Face value
- 100 Australian dollars
- Fine weight
- 1 ounce fine gold
- Fineness
- 99.99%
- Maximum diameter
- 27.60 mm
- Year
- 2026
- Maximum mintage per The Perth Mint
- 188 coins
All details according to The Perth Mint, the face value as it appears on the coin.
Struck in Perth since 1899.
Lunar III, Year of the Horse 2026.
1 oz Gold Lunar III Horse 2026 – Extremely Rare in High Relief & Proof
- Strictly limited: Only 188 pieces exist worldwide – an absolute rarity for discerning collectors
- Appreciation potential: Enormously high growth potential due to the extremely low mintage and the huge demand for Lunar designs
- Rare collector's coin: A numismatic masterpiece that deserves pride of place in any collection
- Minting quality: The highest possible finishing grade "Proof (PP)" – flawless mirror surfaces meet frosted reliefs
- High Relief: The raised High Relief striking gives the design a breathtaking three-dimensionality and tactile quality
- Design: A majestic rearing horse set against a mountain landscape – flanked by the Chinese character 馬 and the "P" mintmark of the Perth Mint
- Design highlight: In the Chinese zodiac, the horse symbolises energy, freedom and success – captured in an artfully flowing composition with a flowing mane and dynamic movement
- Investment objective: Exclusive collector's coin with outstanding appreciation potential
- Material & fineness: 31.10 g of purest gold at a fineness of 999/1,000 – the highest purity for the highest standards
- Manufacturer: Struck by the world-famous Perth Mint, Australia's most storied mint
- Country of origin: Australia – home to some of the world's most coveted coin series
There are coins you buy. And there are coins you secure before they are gone forever. The 1 oz Gold Lunar III Horse 2026 in High Relief and Proof undoubtedly belongs to the second category. With a mintage of only 188 pieces worldwide, this is one of the rarest issues the Perth Mint has ever produced within the legendary Lunar Series III.
A design that takes your breath away
The obverse of this extraordinary gold coin depicts a powerfully rearing horse in a scene of almost cinematic drama. The flowing mane, the muscular legs, the rocky mountain backdrop – every detail has been rendered with a precision that is only possible through the High Relief technique. The design literally rises from the coin's surface, creating a three-dimensional effect that simply cannot be achieved with conventional strikes. To the left of the horse, the Chinese character 馬 (Horse) is prominently displayed, below it the English designation "HORSE" and the year of issue 2026. The small "P" on the right edge confirms its origin from the Perth Mint.
The reverse bears the official portrait of King Charles III in profile, surrounded by the inscription "CHARLES III AUSTRALIA". Along the lower edge are the fineness details (1 OZ 9999 Au) and the face value of 100 Dollars – legal tender in Australia, whose actual collector value far exceeds the nominal value many times over.
Why this coin is an absolute rarity
Let the number sink in: 188 pieces. Not 188,000. Not 18,800. One hundred and eighty-eight. In a world where popular bullion coins are struck in mintages of millions, a strictly limited edition of this kind is a numismatic event. The Perth Mint's Lunar series enjoys an almost legendary reputation among collectors worldwide – and the High Relief variants in Proof are the undisputed crown jewels of any collection.
In the Chinese zodiac, the horse represents energy, freedom, adventurousness and success. People born in the Year of the Horse are considered passionate, courageous and independent – qualities that are impressively reflected in the dynamic depiction on this coin.
Craftsmanship at the highest level
The Perth Mint, founded in 1899, is one of the most renowned mints on earth. Its Lunar series have made coin history. The third generation – Lunar Series III – has continued this tradition since 2020, captivating collectors year after year with new animal designs from the Chinese calendar. What sets this special issue apart from the regular bullion version is not only the very low mintage, but above all the elaborate production technique:
- Each coin is individually struck with specially polished dies, creating the characteristic mirror surfaces of the Proof finish.
- The High Relief striking requires significantly higher striking pressure to allow the design to emerge plastically and in high relief from the coin's surface.
- Delivery is in a premium red case with gold embossing – a presentation piece befitting the value of this rarity.
Gold as a timeless companion – and this coin as the crowning glory
Of course, with this piece you also benefit from the fundamental advantages of the precious metal: gold has been a proven store of value for over 6,000 years, it is exempt from VAT, and profits from its sale are tax-free after a holding period of at least one year. As an inflation hedge and crisis protection, gold has outlasted every currency in human history. But with a collector's coin of this calibre, it is about far more than the pure material value. It is about exclusivity, passion, and the privilege of owning one of only 188 pieces in existence worldwide.
Who is this coin intended for?
- Passionate Lunar collectors who wish to complete their Series III collection with the rarest piece of the 2026 year of issue
- Numismatic connoisseurs who appreciate the difference between a mass-produced strike and a genuine collector's piece
- Long-term oriented investors who, in addition to the gold value, are also counting on the enormous appreciation potential offered by the limited mintage
- Discerning gift-givers looking for an unforgettable present – presented in the Perth Mint's elegant red case
Anyone who has followed past Lunar issues in High Relief and Proof knows: these pieces are regularly sold out within a very short time – and afterwards, if they appear at all, only resurface on the secondary market at significantly higher prices. With only 188 pieces worldwide, demand is likely to far exceed supply once again. Don't hesitate too long.
Product depiction may differ from the final product.



















