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Australia Year of the Rat

2008 Proof Ten Dollar

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The Chinese Zodiac is an astrological system that rotates through a twelve year lunar cycle. Each of these years is associated with an animal arranged in order from the rat through to the pig. An ancient folk story states that the order was established by a race between the animals that was orchestrated by the Jade Emperor of China. It is believed that each of these animals is associated with a set of characteristics that may serve as an astrological guide to understand the events that occur in the year as well as the personalities of those born in the year. The Royal Australian Mint regularly produces coins celebrating the beginning of a new Chinese Lunar Year.

This ten dollar piece was issued in 2008 to celebrate the beginning of the Lunar Year of the Rat. It is part of the lunar series issued annually by the Royal Australian Mint. In addition to this gold ten dollar piece a silver proof and uncirculated one dollar variety was also issued. The reverse design features a rat along with the year of issue "2008" and the legend "YEAR OF THE RAT". The obverse has the Ian Rank-Broadley portrait of HRH Queen Elizabeth II with the legend "ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 2007" and the denomination "10 DOLLARS".

The Chinese Zodiac states that people born in the year of the rat are ambitious, charming, talkative and easily make friends. Even though they are talkative, they are also very private about their own personal life and are devoted and faithful to close friends. They are adaptive, flexible, clever and good at problem solving which enables them to cope with most difficulties. They are generally successful at whatever they do, but they can be gullible which can lead them into danger.