2018 5 oz Kingdom of Bhutan Lunar Dog .999 High Relief Silver Proof Coin

The Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan proudly issues the Blessings of Happiness Lunar Coin Collection – The Bhutan Lunar and Attraction series (2016-2027), exclusively minted and marketed by The Singapore Mint.

Home to a stunning natural scenery embellished with majestic architectures of Dzongz, Stupas and Monasteries, each of the 12 coins in this series features specially selected attractions of Bhutan, The obverse side of each coin features an animal of the Chinese Zodiac Series, while the reverse side features one of the 12 selected attractions located in the country of Bhutan. The Bhutan Lunar Dog coin, the third issue in this series, is issued in conjunction with the arrival of the 2018 Lunar Dog Year.

Obverse Design:

The energetic dog is tastefully depicted with florals, leaves and clouds, reflecting the beauty of nature in the Kingdom. The agile limbs of the dog are accentuated with swirls and clouds to resemble swift-like movement and exude its jovial and playful nature. Shaped like an auspicious ‘Ruyi’, the paws symbolizes blessing of good fortune.

Reverse Design:

The reverse coin design features the picturesque Haa Valley, surrounded by mountains and plains. Haa Valley, one of the Kingdom of Bhutan’s well-kept secret, was only opened to tourism in 2002. It remains one of the least visited areas in the Kingdom. Untouched by modernization, Haa Valley retains the air of a pristine, primeval forest and is home to numerous local temples. An annual Summer Festival is held in Haa in celebration of the locals’ traditional and nomadic lifestyles and rich culture.

ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF BHUTAN

The Kingdom of Bhutan is the happiest country in Asia, and the origin of the term ‘Gross National Happiness’, is coined by His Majesty, Jigme Singye Wangchuck the 4th King of Bhutan. The philosophy of Gross National Happiness focuses on peace and happiness of the Bhutanese - balancing material and the spiritual development. The Bhutanese happiness and peace comes from their practice in Buddhism, which believes in living a good life to be closer to attaining enlightenment – They do good deeds, and do not believe in harming any sentient beings so much that there is no killing of animals, no fishing nor butchering, but instead meat is imported. The Bhutanese believe that all living beings are equally valuable life forms and they integrate these deep-seated convictions on the sacredness of life within the country's broader environmental and conservation ethics. This results in a peaceful, blissful way of living, accompanied by the country’s ethereal beauty. Not only known as one of the happiest country, the Kingdom of Bhutan is also popularly known as the Last Shangri-La of the world. The Kingdom of Bhutan is heavily forested and perched atop of a mountain among the clouds. Home to a stunning natural scenery with an exotic mix of flora and fauna, the Kingdom is also embellished with majestic architectures of Dzongz, Stupas and Monasteries, resulting in a picturesque view from every angle.