2000 Golden Dragons East Meets West Set

2000 Golden Dragons East meets West Set

The Perth Mint released a total of 1,000 two coin Golden Dragons - East meets West sets in 2000. Each set comprises:

$25 - Proof Lunar Year of the Dragon Quarter Ounce and

1900 Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or London Sovereign.

Valuation :
2000 2 Coin Golden Dragons - East meets West Set

	Proof
2002	480

The sovereign in each set is graded as Very Fine. The coins in the set are housed, individually encapsulated, in a jarrah presentation case with a sliding lid, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

Notes:

The use of dragons on Australia's gold coinage dates back to 1871. This set brings together eastern and western depictions of dragons on two very different coins minted at opposite ends of the 20th Century.

The dragon's association with gold, power and royalty is universal. In the east, the golden dragon is supreme and typically benevolent. The eastern dragon is regarded as the most auspicious and jubilant of China's many symbols. The dragon is seen as the incarnation of power, the most important and commanding heavenly dignity, often depicted among the clouds. It is also regarded as the ultimate symbol of good luck, especially when aligned with the gold metal element. In the east, dragons are depicted as straightforward, intelligent, vivacious, honest and self-sufficient but with some vices such as quick tempered, stubborn, eccentric, impulsive, unpredictable and known to cause mayhem when offended by a human.

In the west, often depicted as a supreme, sinister, ferocious, evil and cunning, the dragon is a mythical creature of man's spiritual quest. Often associated with royalty and gold, especially in ancient Celtic tales, the dragon features on many European heraldic shields and was the symbol of one of Britain's most famous kings, Arthur Pendragon. In that era, the dragon was a worthy test against which bold knights could test their religious faith. In many western tales, especially Christian ones, the dragon is portrayed as a symbol of evil. As an allegory, the slaying of the dragon is a spiritual quest of the higher self to overcome the baser human instincts and accomplish a growth of the soul and gaining of wisdom. The journey is cyclical, often depicted as the tail-eating dragon or serpent.

The two coins embody the aspects of power, myth, beauty and magic associated with dragons throughout time, symbolic of heroism, wisdom, fortune, adventure and conquest.

Source: Numismatic Post, April, 2000 and Autumn 2000 Catalogue - Perth Mint.