A Chinese legend relates how the 12 lunar-zodiac animals were selected by the Jade Emperor. He conducted a race of all the animals, and named years in the order that they finished. During the race across the countryside, the rat hitched a ride on the back of the slow but persistent ox. When the ox was a few feet from the finish line, the rat jumped off and raced ahead to claim the victory and the right to represent the first lunar-zodiac year. Following the rat was the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and boar. Australia issued its first Lunar-Zodiac coins in 1996, "The Year of the Rat," and issues new gold coins each year in Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) quality. Brilliant Uncirculated coins are Mint State - lustrous with no sign of wear.
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