8 Dollars - Elizabeth II 4th Portrait - Year of the Dog - Silver Bullion Coin

Perth Mint's lunar series has been running since 1996, and the second iteration — of which this is part — restarted the twelve-year zodiac cycle in 2008. The 5 oz silver format occupies a deliberate gap in the product lineup between the 1 oz and the kilo, targeting stacker-collectors who want bulk silver without the storage commitment of the larger pieces.

The Dog year falls at the end of the second cycle's first decade, by which point secondary market premiums on early issues had already climbed sharply — putting quiet pressure on buyers to hold rather than spend the $8 face value.