1 oz Gold Golden Dragon Chinese Mythical Creatures 2026 (Mintage: 188 | Proof)
- Powerful design: symbol of luck
- Perth Mint: world-renowned
- Certificate of authenticity: numbered
- Powerful designFine scales and the flaming pearl of wisdom
- Perth MintFrom Australia's most storied mint
- Certificate of authenticityIncluded with the coin in an elegant wooden case
Price alert set
share
1 ounce fine gold
It breathes no fire. It brings the rain.
Golden Dragon 2026, side with the dragon
On this coin the dragon holds the pearl in its claws, its mighty tail curled, majestic in gold.
From the water into the clouds
It lives in the water and rises into the clouds.
Dragons have appeared in Chinese art since Neolithic times. No later than the Han dynasty, from 206 BC to AD 220, they were regarded as beings of water: they live in rivers and seas, fly up into the clouds, govern the weather and bring the life-giving rain.
This is how old books tell it: the dragon’s breath becomes clouds, and the clouds become rain or lightning. In winter it sleeps beneath rivers and ponds, in the first month of spring it rises, and then it thunders, and rain falls.
In China it stands for the beneficence of heaven. The dragons of Europe are mostly winged and breathe fire, while in East Asia the dragon is regarded as a benevolent being, usually without any wings.
“Above all things the dragon in China is a rain-maker.”
A dragon made of many animals
The antlers of the stag, the scales of the carp.
According to old tradition, the dragon is made up of parts of many animals: the antlers of the stag, the scales of the carp, the claws of the eagle and the body of the snake. Learned Chinese books also name whiskers at the mouth and a luminous pearl beneath the chin.
The magnifying glass reveals how finely the design is struck here.
HeadThe head of the dragon
ClawsClaws like those of an eagle
ScalesScales like those of a carp
Enlarged from the pictures in our gallery.
The legend of the Dragon Gate
The carp, which becomes a dragon.
A legend tells of the Yellow River: a carp that swims upstream through the Dragon Gate becomes a dragon.
In China the image stood for passing the civil service examination. On a Yuan dynasty inkstone in the Metropolitan Museum, the grinding surface and the ink well lie between carp and dragon; their diligent use might well decide success.
The pearl
The pearl, chased by the dragon.
In Chinese art, dragons often chase a flaming pearl or hold it fast. The Smithsonian interprets it as a symbol of wisdom.
More companions of the dragon
The phoenixThe phoenix often stands for the empress, the dragon for the emperor.
The tigerThe dragon stands for the east, the white tiger for the west.
The five elementsEarth, wood, metal, fire and water follow one another in a cycle.
The qilinWith the dragon, phoenix and tortoise, one of the four spiritual beings.
The emblem of the emperor
From the waves at the hem to the pearl.
An imperial robe of yellow silk from the Qianlong period, shown at the Palace Museum in Beijing in 2019, follows the usual arrangement from bottom to top: water lines form the waves of the ocean, from them rises Mount Kunlun, and at chest height the five-clawed dragon chases the flaming pearl.
The claws mattered: the five-clawed dragon, long, was distinguished from the four-clawed one, mang, which stood for lower ranks.
“Only the emperor and empress were allowed to wear bright yellow.”
The craft
What sets this piece apart.
Every year the Golden Dragon shows a new design, always on one ounce of gold in Proof and with a mintage of 188 pieces.
- Proof
- The field is polished to a mirror finish, with the design set on it in matte. This makes the dragon stand out clearly against the gleaming background.
Our dragons to scale
Dainty in gold, mighty in silver.
From 1/200 ounce of gold to 5 ounces of silver, side by side to the scale of their dimensions. The piece on this page is marked.
Whatever is available links to its product.
1/200 ounceGold, 14 mmGold14 mm
1 ounceGold, 32.6 mmGold32.6 mm
1 ounceSilver, 40 mmSilver40 mm
2 ouncesGold, 36.6 mmGold36.6 mm
2 ouncesSilver, 50 mmSilver50 mm
3 ouncesSilver, 50 mmSilver50 mm
5 ouncesSilver, 65.25 mmSilver65.25 mm
At a glance
- Type
- Coin
- Metal
- Gold
- Design
- Dragon with pearl
- Weight
- 1 ounce fine gold
- Fineness
- 999.9/1,000
- Face value
- 100 Dollars
- Country of issue
- Australia
- Diameter
- 32.6 mm
- Year
- 2026
- Quality
- Proof
- Mintage
- 188 pieces
- Designer
- Wade Robinson
- Manufacturer
- Perth Mint
- Packaging
- Case
A coiled dragon of jade, made in the Shang dynasty, in the 13th or 12th century BC.
Pendant in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Golden Dragon 2026 – Chinese Mythical Creature in Proof Quality, Only 188 Pieces Worldwide
- Strictly limited: a very low mintage of only 188 pieces worldwide – there will never be more
- Growth potential: high value appreciation potential due to the strict limitation and the traditionally strong demand for dragon designs
- Minting quality: the highest possible finish, Proof (PP), with mirror-polished fields and frosted relief areas
- Rarity: an exclusive collector's coin for connoisseurs of the "Chinese Mythical Creatures" series
- Design: an eastern dragon with a coiled tail tip, clutching the flaming pearl of wisdom – framed by swirling flames, along with the "P" mint mark, weight, fineness and year
- Material / fineness: a full troy ounce of purest gold in 999.9/1,000 – i.e. 99.99% fine gold with a fine weight of 31.1 g
- Manufacturer: The Perth Mint, Australia's most traditional and one of the world's most respected mints
- Country of origin: Australia – the coin is official legal tender with a face value of 100 AUD
- Scope of delivery: elegant wooden case including numbered certificate of authenticity
Hardly any design captivates collectors as reliably as the Chinese dragon. For 2026, the Perth Mint is issuing it once again – in a minuscule mintage that stands out even among premium gold coins. 188 pieces. Worldwide. Whoever owns one holds a numismatic rarity in their hands that many collectors of this series will never get to see.
The design: dragon and flaming pearl
The obverse shows the legendary mythical creature in a powerful twist. Claws reach for the flaming pearl, the symbol of wisdom, insight and divine authority; tongues of flame and finely chiseled scales extend across the entire surface. In Chinese culture, the dragon is regarded as the guardian of rain, rivers and sky – a symbol of power, strength, prosperity and fortune. To the left is the Perth Mint's "P" mint mark, and along the lower edge are the inscriptions "2026 1oz 9999 GOLD". The design was created by Wade Robinson. The reverse features the portrait of King Charles III designed by Dan Thorne, surrounded by the inscriptions "CHARLES III" and "AUSTRALIA" as well as the face value "100 DOLLARS".
Proof: the pinnacle of minting artistry
For the Proof quality level, dies and blanks are polished by hand, each coin is struck individually and then inspected. The result: deep, mirror-black fields from which the frosted relief emerges in striking relief. An effect that Brilliant Uncirculated bullion coins simply cannot achieve. This is precisely why collectors traditionally pay more for Proof editions – and precisely why such pieces rarely return to the market once sold.
Technical data at a glance
- Denomination: 1 oz (31.1 g fine weight, 31.1 g gross weight)
- Fineness: 999.9/1,000 gold
- Diameter: 32.60 mm
- Face value: 100 AUD
- Year of issue: 2026 | Mint: Perth Mint, Australia
- Condition: Proof, mintage of 188 pieces
- Packaging: case with certificate of authenticity
In comparison: a collector's edition, not a mass product
The Perth Mint is known for classics such as the Kookaburra, Koala and the Lunar series. However, these editions are issued in mintages of five to six figures. The Golden Dragon plays in a different league: the parallel silver coin of the same design year has a mintage many times higher, while the gold version remains at 188. This makes it the counterpart to widely distributed bullion coins – here, it's not just the metal that counts, but the rarity. To be fair, one drawback should be mentioned: the premium over a pure bullion coin is higher. In return, you receive a piece whose availability, once sold out, depends solely on the secondary market.
Gold: the money of the gods, proven for over 6,000 years
Gold is the oldest currency in the world and has outlasted every paper currency. It has an inherent, intrinsic value, is recognized worldwide, and has never once become worthless. As an inflation hedge and as crisis protection, it has been in use since antiquity – even in ancient Egypt it served as a unit of trade. While fiat money can be created in unlimited quantities, the supply of physical gold is strictly limited. The fact that central banks themselves are the largest gold holders in the world speaks volumes about the trust placed in their own paper money.
Gold has been shining for thousands of years – and will never lose its shine.
There are also tangible tax advantages: investment gold is exempt from VAT in Germany, and profits from its sale are generally tax-free after a holding period of at least one year. Physical gold is highly liquid, tradable worldwide at any time, durable, and can be passed down through generations – ideal for long-term wealth building and personal retirement provision.
Who this rarity is worth it for
Collectors of the "Chinese Mythical Creatures" series will want this coin regardless. But it is also of interest to anyone looking to combine precious metal ownership with numismatic appeal: a full troy ounce of fine gold as a solid foundation, plus the rarity of an edition limited to 188 pieces worldwide. Experience shows that such tightly limited Perth Mint dragons sell out quickly. Secure your piece while it's still available – in an elegant case, with a numbered certificate, ready for the display case or the safe.
Product depiction may differ from the final product.
