2 oz Silver Filigree Dragon 2027 (Mintage: 1,088 | partially gilded)
- True Sculpture: free-standing dragon
- Lucky Dragon: symbol of prosperity
- Legal Tender: emblem on the pearl
- True SculptureFinely pierced, so light falls through the silver
- Lucky DragonOnce a sign of Chinese emperors and bringer of luck
- Legal TenderThe dragon pearl bears Samoa's emblem and 5 dollar face value
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2 ounces fine silver
It breathes no fire. It brings the rain.
A freestanding, openwork dragon sculpture in silver. In one claw the dragon holds a sphere with the coat of arms of Samoa.
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 dragon is crafted here.
HeadThe head of the dragon
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 phoenix
Dragon and phoenix, emperor and empress.
On a porcelain plate of the Wanli period in the Metropolitan Museum, the five-clawed dragon is the emblem of the emperor. At its side appears the phoenix, which often stands for the empress.
On a wedding robe from the 1930s in the Victoria and Albert Museum, too, dragon and phoenix form the basic pattern, as the male and female elements of marriage. By tradition, the bride was “empress of the day.”
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 pearlIn art, the dragon often chases a pearl, a symbol of wisdom.
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.”
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.
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
- Dragon sculpture
- Metal
- Silver
- Design
- Dragon with sphere
- Weight
- 2 ounces fine silver
- Fineness
- 999/1,000
- Stated value
- $5 (on the sphere)
- Country of issue
- Samoa
- Year
- 2027
- Quality
- Prooflike
- Mintage
- 1,088 pieces
- 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
Filigree Dragon 2027: 2 Ounces of Silver That Turn Into Motion
Most coins lie flat. This one coils. The 2 oz Silver Filigree Dragon 2027 from Samoa leaves the round shape behind entirely and becomes a free-standing sculpture: a Chinese dragon crafted from 999 fine silver, openwork in design, partially gilded, and limited worldwide to just 1,088 pieces. Anyone who collects pieces like this knows: items at this scale sell out faster than the catalog can be printed.
Filigree Work in Silver – Every Detail Its Own Craft
The dragon's body sweeps through space in a dramatic curve. Dense scales, a flowing mane, splayed claws, horns, and whiskers – the surface is worked through to the smallest recess and, in many places, genuinely pierced through. That is exactly what the term "filigree" means: metal cut so finely that light passes through it. The 24-karat partial gilding lies over this structure, making the silver coin glow warmly depending on the angle of view. It was struck in Prooflike quality, that mirror-like brilliance collectors prize so highly in modern special editions – a deliberate counterpoint to the antique-finish editions that are also popular at the moment.
The true showpiece sits on the right: one of the claws holds a sphere reminiscent of the heavenly pearl from Chinese dragon legend. On its surface is the value side featuring the coat of arms of Samoa, surrounded by the inscriptions "SAMOA 2027", "2 oz", "Ag 999", the national motto "FA'AVAE I LE ATUA SAMOA", and the face value "$5". So the legal tender designation is not stamped flat here, but is part of the sculpture itself. The piece is delivered in a case.
The Technical Data at a Glance
- Precious metal: Silver, partially gilded
- Fineness: 999/1,000
- Fine weight: 2 ounces (gross weight 2 oz)
- Diameter: 75.00 mm (shaped 3D design)
- Condition: Prooflike
- Face value: 5 dollars, country of issue Samoa
- Year of issue: 2027
- Limited mintage: 1,088 pieces worldwide
- Packaging: Case
The Dragon: Symbol of Power, Wisdom, and Prosperity
In China, the dragon is not a monster but a bringer of good fortune. It stands for strength, protection, wisdom, and material prosperity – and it is regarded as the lord of water and transformation. Emperors had it placed on thrones, robes, and seals. It is no coincidence that precisely this design keeps reappearing in precious metal: dragon coins have been among the most sought-after designs on the international collector market for years. Even the mintage figure carries a message, since the number eight is considered a lucky number in Chinese culture.
A design that embodies prosperity, struck in a metal that has preserved prosperity for thousands of years – the Filigree Dragon unites both in a single object.
Why Silver – and Why Specifically as a Collector's Item?
Silver has served as coinage metal, means of payment, and store of value for thousands of years. Unlike paper money, whose value rests on trust in governments, silver possesses intrinsic value: it is scarce, it is durable, and it retains its physical properties across generations. Add to that its industrial side – electronics, solar technology, and medical technology permanently consume the metal, while mined supply remains limited. This combination makes silver coins a building block for many buyers when it comes to inflation hedging and crisis protection.
A practical note for private investors: in Germany, profits from the sale of physical silver are generally tax-free provided a minimum holding period of one year is observed. And compared to gold, silver remains affordable – one reason why many collections begin exactly here and are passed down to the next generation over decades.
Classification: Collector's Edition Rather Than Bullion Coin
A word of honesty toward you as a buyer: the Filigree Dragon is a collector's item, not a classic bullion coin. With standard issues such as Maple Leaf, Britannia, or American Eagle, you essentially pay the material value plus a narrow margin; almost exclusively the metal is being valued there. With a 3D sculpture featuring filigree cutting, partial gilding, and a four-digit micro-mintage, the craftsmanship and numismatic aspects come into play as well. The premium is higher, but in return the number of pieces is finite – and it is precisely this scarcity that makes editions like this so appealing.
Those who approach things in a structured way often combine both: a base of common bullion coins and bars for pure metal value – and selected collector's items such as this dragon, which draw additional value from the design, the craftsmanship, and the limited mintage.
Who the Filigree Dragon Is Especially Suited For
- Collectors of dragon and China-themed designs looking for an unusual rendition
- Enthusiasts of modern 3D and filigree coinage with extremely small mintages
- Buyers who value tangible assets and want to physically own precious metal
- Anyone seeking an extraordinary gift with genuine precious metal content
Silver has outlasted every monetary experiment in history. This dragon tells that story of permanence in its own unique way – poised, powerful, and limited to 1,088 pieces. There will never be more.
Product depiction may differ from the final product.
