SINGAPORE - Limited-edition coins are now on sale to mark the Year of the Dog, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said on Wednesday (Nov 22).

The coin set - the second in the fourth Chinese Almanac coin series - will be issued on Jan 5, 2018.

The series will be released over 12 years from 2017 to 2028, with each year's issue depicting a Chinese zodiac animal in a park or natural landscape setting in Singapore.

The Year of the Dog coins feature the said animal with the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the background.

The first coin in the series featured the rooster with Kampong Buangkok, Singapore's last surviving village, in the background.

The reverse side of the Year of the Dog coins bears the Singapore Coat of Arms with the year 2018.

The coins will be available in 10 different versions, including a 5 troy oz round coin with a 6cm diameter and a face value of S$200, minted on 999.9 fine gold.

Special premium sets consisting of various coin combinations will also be sold.

Members of the public can buy the coins from the Singapore Mint at www.singaporemint.com. Orders close on Dec 15, 2017, and balloting will be conducted if demand exceeds supply, MAS said.