Obverse: the obverse of the coin features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II created by sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley. Surrounding the portrait are the legend “ELIZABETH II · D · G · REG · F · D” and the face value “100 POUNDS”.
Reverse: the reverse depicts two sheep facing one another, representing 2015 – the Year of the Goat, also known as the Year of the Sheep in the Chinese lunar calendar. Above are the inscriptions “YEAR OF THE SHEEP”, the year “2015” and “1 OZ FINE GOLD 999.9”. Between the animals appears the Chinese character 羊, meaning sheep or goat. The design was created by British-Chinese artist Wuon-Gean Ho.
About the coin: the 2015 “Year of the Sheep” is the second coin in Great Britain’s “The Shēngxiào Collection” lunar series. It was struck by The Royal Mint from .9999 fine 24-carat gold and contains 1 troy ounce of pure gold. The coin has a total weight of 31.21 g, a diameter of 32.69 mm and a face value of 100 pounds. The Goat / Sheep is the eighth sign of the Chinese zodiac and is traditionally associated with peace, kindness, creativity and harmony. The composition of two animals emphasises closeness and togetherness, combining the investment value of gold with the symbolism of Chinese culture and the lunar calendar.
