Bhutan Lunar

The Bhutan Lunar silver coins debuted in 2017. Like several other bullion series such as the Australia Lunar series and the Somaliland Lunar series, they focus on the animals related to the Chinese lunar calendar. While several sizes exist, they only two in bullion finish are the 1/2 Oz and 1 Oz sizes. The 1 Oz coin has a nominal value of 200 Nu and is a legal tender in Bhutan. The denomination on the 1/2 Oz coin is 100 Nu. The coins are produced by The Singapore Mint, the official government minting agency in Singapore. The motif of the coins remain constant from year to year, differing only in depiction of the lunar animals on the obverse.

Silver Bullion Mintage

Design

Obverse: The obverse each year highlights the lunar animal. The animal is playfully depicted in a style reminiscent of a cartoon. An attractive, artistic frame surrounds the central image. Inscriptions encircling the top rim include a phrase with the year and the lunar animal.  A decorative banner at the bottom rim includes the face value "NU.200" and the silver weight, purity, and content of "1 OZ 999 FINE SILVER".

Reverse: The coin's reverse depicts the stunning national emblem of the South Asian Kingdom of Bhutan featuring two dragons symbolizing the name of Bhutan. The emblem is composed of a double diamond-thunderbolt placed above a lotus, surmounted by a jewel and framed by the two dragons. The lotus represents purity; the jewel stands for sovereign power; and the thunderbolt symbolizes the harmony existing between secular and religious power. Inscriptions include "KINGDOM OF BHUTAN" encircling the top, and the same text in Dzongkha script at the bottom.