Australia 2018 Year Dog Chinese Lunar 3 Coin Silver German Shepherd Proof Set

Description

In Stock and Ready for Immediate Shipment!
SOLD OUT at the Perth Mint!
You're barking up the right tree! Celebrate 2018, the Year of the Dog, with these loyal and friendly German Shepherds
in this charming vignette of
a mother with her puppy
on
this truly rare, ultra-low mintage (ONLY 1,000) 3-coin silver proof set - while you still can!
The Perth Mint has done it again! Large, beautiful coins in an all-inclusive package, each featuring impressive cameo relief, and all struck in
pure silver
! This set provides three different sizes and denominations, including the extremely popular
silver dollar
, (along with the two ounce pure silver proof, available only in this set - and nowhere else!). Best of all, the mintage is limited to
only 1,000 complete sets worldwide
! At our low price, this set represents a tremendous value (and a great investment!).
Don't miss out - get your set at our low introductory price, while you still can!
Three Different Coin Sizes
This set contains three different
Chinese Lunar Zodiac
coins, each a different size:
•
1/2 Troy Ounce Silver Proof
- A very popular size, the one-half troy ounce pure silver proof is a large 36.60 mm in diameter - nearly the same size as a classic U.S. silver dollar! The denomination is 50 cents.
•
1 Troy Ounce Silver Proof
- This very popular denomination, with a
one dollar
face value, may also be available singly. (
Click here for Dog Proof Silver Dollar
.)
•
2 Troy Ounces Silver Proof
- This large and impressively-sized silver proof is available only in this set! It is not available individually or separately, we are sorry. The denomination is 2 dollars.
All three coins are struck to the most exacting, proof standard, the highest quality of finish available. The fields are deeply mirrored, with the design accented in varying degrees of frosty white cameo relief.
The Year of the Dog - Loyal, Friendly Intelligent!
Centuries ago, the Chinese invented a calendar based on the lunar (rather than the solar) cycle. There are twelve animals in the Chinese lunar zodiac, each corresponding in sequence to a year rather than a month.
Those born in the years 1910, 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, and 2018 celebrate the Year of the Dog - man's best friend! According to tradition, people born during a
Year of the Dog
are said to exhibit that animal’s attributes.  They are loyal, honest, intelligent, straightforward and faithful, and possess a strong sense of righteousness. This large coin features a German Shepherd, an intelligent and protective breed that bonds strongly with its owner.
Intelligent, Loyal - And
Extremely
Popular!
The German Shepherd Dog (also known as an Alsatian or
Deutscher Schäferhund
) is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. The breed is a working dog originally developed for herding and guarding sheep. Because of its strength, intelligence and abilities in obedience training it is often employed in police and military roles around the world. German Shepherds currently account for nearly 5% of all dogs registered with the American Kennel Club. Due to its loyal and protective nature, the German Shepherd is one of the most registered of breeds.
The German Shepherd first gained international recognition following World War I, after returning soldiers spoke highly of the breed, and animal actors Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart popularized the breed further through the medium of moving pictures. As time progressed, their popularity increased gradually until 1993, when they became the third most popular breed in the United States. As of 2009, German Shepherds had climbed to the second most popular in the US. Additionally, the breed is typically among the most popular in other registries. The German Shepherd Dog's physique is very well suited to athletic competition, so they commonly compete in shows and competitions such as agility trials.
German Shepherds were bred specifically for their intelligence, a trait for which they are now renowned. They are considered to be the third most intelligent breed of dog, behind only Border Collies and Poodles. In the book
The Intelligence of Dogs
, author Stanley Coren found that they had the ability to learn simple tasks after only five repetitions, and obeyed the first command given 95% of the time. Coupled with their strength, this trait makes the breed desirable as police, guard, and search and rescue dogs, as they are able to quickly learn various tasks and interpret instructions better than other large breeds.
German Shepherds are highly active
dogs
, and described in breed standards as self-assured and confident. The breed is marked by a willingness to learn and an eagerness to have a purpose. Shepherds have a loyal nature and bond well with people they know. However, they can become over-protective of their family and territory, especially if not socialized correctly. They are not inclined to become immediate friends with strangers. German Shepherds are highly intelligent and obedient and some people think they require a "firm hand", but more recent research into training methods has shown they respond as well, if not better, to positive reward based training methods.
And A Hard Worker!
German Shepherds are a very popular choice for use as
working dogs
. They are especially well known for their police work, being used for tracking criminals, patrolling troubled areas, and detection and holding of suspects. Additionally thousands of German Shepherds have been used by the military. Usually trained for scout duty, they are used to warn soldiers to the presence of enemies or of booby traps or other hazards. Incredibly, German Shepherds have been trained by military groups to parachute from aircraft.
The German Shepherd Dog is one of the most widely used breeds in a wide variety of scent-work roles. These include search and rescue, cadaver searching, narcotics detection, explosives detection, accelerant detection, and mine detection dog, among others. They are suited for these lines of work because of their keen sense of smell and their ability to work regardless of distractions.
At one time the German Shepherd Dog was the breed chosen almost exclusively to be used as a guide dog for the visually impaired. In recent years, Labrador and Golden Retrievers have been more widely used for this work, although there are still German Shepherds being trained. A versatile breed, they excel in this field due to their strong sense of duty, their mental abilities, their fearlessness, and their attachment to their owner.
German Shepherd Dogs are used for herding and tending sheep grazing in meadows next to gardens and crop fields. They are expected to patrol the boundaries to keep sheep from trespassing and damaging the crops. In Germany and other places these skills are tested in herding utility dog trials also known as HGH (
Herdengebrauchshund
).
This is the eleventh annual release in the
Lunar Zodiac Series II from Australia!
Obverse
Each coin’s obverse depicts a mother
German Shepherd dog
and pup lounging in the grass with Chinese peony flowers in the background. The legend YEAR OF THE DOG defines the theme. The Chinese character for "Dog" is above the mother German Shepherd, while the Perth Mint's "P" mint mark is judiciously placed to the right, near the 3:00 position along the rim.
Reverse
The reverse of all three coins features Her Majesty,
Queen Elizabeth II
, in crowned profile facing right. This portrait, featuring Her Majesty wearing a tiara and pearl earrings, was executed by the sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. The legends 1/2 OZ, 1 OZ and 2 OZ 999 SILVER guarantee the weight and purity. The legends ELIZABETH II, the date and the denomination also appear.
Packaging
The coins are encapsulated inside an elegant, oversize luxury presentation case with a solid wood lid (done in the style of red Chinese lacquer), lined with black velvet and protected by a full-color outer box. An individually-numbered certificate of authenticity is included.
Specifications
Country
Australia
Mint
Perth Mint of Australia
Year of Issue
2018
Face Value
3 Dollars 50 Cents ( + + 50 Cents)
Weight
108.873 g
1/2 Ounce - 15.553 g
1 Ounce - 31.107 g
2 Ounces - 62.213 g
Diameter
1/2 Ounce - 36.60 mm
1 Ounce - 45.60 mm
2 Ounces - 55.60 mm
Gauge (Thickness)
1/2 Ounce - 1.97 mm
1 Ounce - 2.60 mm
2 Ounces - 3.42 mm
Mintage Limit
1,000 Sets
Finish
Proof
Composition
.999 Fine (Pure) Silver
Edge
Reeded (milled, serrated)
Artist
Ing Ing Jong (obverse)
Ian Rank-Broadley (reverse)
Certificate
Individually Numbered
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