A Vision of Strength
“ We knew the tiger was coming , so you just go wild and get your concepts down on paper . When you go down the rabbit hole of all the [ zodiac ] art and all the style , and the history of it , it ’ s super fascinating .”
– Jennifer McKenna , designer at The Perth Mint
A new lunar year was coming . And with it , a new challenge for Jennifer . The next in The Perth Mint ’ s long-running lunar series , the Year of the Tiger .
She drew sketch after sketch of the mother and cub , standing together regally , gazing back at her . Their expressive eyes capturing the power behind the animal , her favourite part of the design .
“ As humans , it ’ s how we connect with imagery we see — we look for the eyes .”
This little coin would bring together thousands of years of tradition , both in the lunar story it tells , and in its creation — the relief of her final design being moulded in plaster , painstakingly by hand .