The People’s Bank of China has issued a new coin struck in ¼oz of fine silver commemorating the upcoming 2015 Lunar New Year. Not a proof coin, the mint describes the finish as ‘standard’, basically uncirculated, and the mintage is set at 600,000. From their website it appears that the entire run has been pre-allocated to distributors within China, so tracking one down outside will be a little more difficult than for a Panda, for example.

The Chinese New Year is celebrated on 19th February this year (it isn’t the same date every year), quite hard to reconcile with the coin world’s growing obsession of releasing lunar coins earlier and earlier every year. For the goat it started back in June 2014, a ridiculous eight months before the actual date.

This one has a nice traditional design. The obverse carries the National Emblem of the People’s Republic of China along with the date and issuing country, the latter in Chinese. The reverse depicts the character for blessing surrounded by various decorative patterns, including swallows and jasmine, and at the bottom the denomination.

Struck by the Shenzhen Guobao Mint this 25mm diameter coin should be popular enough, and there are hints that further versions will be coming soon, likely proof derivatives, or maybe gold.

Every Chinese Spring Festival is the most anticipated holiday of the year, the Spring Festival, every family decorated the streets sound of firecrackers, bustling and peaceful, cheerful and festive scene. New Year’s Eve, a festive dinner reunion seated around the table to eat, people feel warm and happy. However, the era of progress, social development, our material standard of living getting higher and higher, but mentally they lost a lot of memorable things.

For this reason, we are increasingly aware, only to regain those excellent traditional culture, to make our spiritual life more colorful. To meet the growing demand for public spirit of traditional culture, Chinese People’s Bank of precious metal commemorative coins in 2015 the project was first launched Issuance Programme Surreal silver project, and on December 26, 2014 issue of the 2015 Lunar New Year commemorative coins, to meet people turn of the year to meet the New Year, to celebrate New Year’s needs, but also take the long history of New Year culture deeply rooted in the hearts of the civilian population.

Let the New Year while tasting While silver, while relive those childhood good times. While small 1/4 ounce silver New Year, the first impression is small and delicate, circular coin surface diameter of only 25 mm, and its theme implication glance. A middle of the “blessing”, rounded, full, sonorous, as worthy of Emperor Qianlong of Yushu, very consistent with the minds of the people “blessing” of the image. I think, when I see this big “blessing”, our hearts will have warmth in my heart, a lot of warm picture, a flash will emerge in front of us. As New Year’s Eve, to help a child at home in the door posted “blessing”; New Year, elders give us with the “blessing” lucky money envelopes, etc., so far still think there is a feeling of happiness in my heart waves.

Look around “Fu” shape, with the bat, jasmine and other decorative patterns, and rich family, swallows and other modeling portfolio design, and published denomination. Two vivid swallows fly on the door side, complement each other, they are light in the winter jasmine flowers in the shuttle, jointly herald the arrival of spring, adding a deep spring for the whole pattern. Meanwhile, a representative of the swallows is auspicious birds, they are said to nest under the eaves someone will bring to the family fortune. They appear on the coin pattern, no doubt for the New Year silver While creating a cheerful, festive and family atmosphere.

Decorative pattern bat, their image with a folk paper-cut shape, with a strong flavor of traditional culture, and the bat “bat” links “blessing”, but represents a wonderful New Year blessing. Both sides of the coin surface of selected traditional Chinese rich family style, antique, both the very strong sense of history, again the concept of family in front of us. In addition, the designers have cleverly “blessing” living room door, the door is in a semi-open state, meaning “open the door to see a blessing” and “Fortune.” The whole design clever and rich content, memorable, full of traditional culture into the New Year in the coin surface patterns among our thoughts will also be brought back to those who have the good old days.

While I believe in watching the New Year commemorative coins, they must be able to be brought back many memories of childhood, will inspire people interest in traditional Chinese culture, let us treasure the passage of time and the good of those precious memories good things now. (Contributed by: Fuzhou, Fujian Xin Xing Industry Co., Ltd.)

SPECIFICATION
DENOMINATION 3 YUAN
COMPOSITION 0.999 SILVER
WEIGHT 7.776 g
SIZE 00.0 mm
FINISH UNCIRCULATED
MINTAGE 600,000