For our second preview of our August Hong Kong Showcase Auction, we have
an incredible piece of modern Chinese numismatics: a gold 2,000 Yuan
commemorating the completion of the Lunar Cycle. This particular Lunar Series
coinage began in 1981 with the Year of the Rooster, and culminated in 1992 with
the Year of the Monkey. To commemorate the completion of the cycle, a gold one
kilogram 2,000 Yuan piece was struck. This large collective piece is sure to appeal
to Lunar Series collectors or Chinese numismatic enthusiasts.
The obverse is certainly impressive; at the center is the Yin-Yang symbol
surrounded by eight symbols known as “Ba Gua.” These symbols represent opposite
forces of Yin and Yang: the top symbol of three solid lines is “heaven” and
across from it at the bottom is three broken lines which represent “Earth.”
Each symbol faces across from its pair (water and fire, thunder and wind, and
mountain and lake) and a balance is created. These pairings form interconnected
and complementary groupings that are enclosed within an octagon. Surrounding
this inner design are all 12 Lunar Animals as represented on the individual
coins. They are in clockwise order: Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig,
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, and Snake. Each of these individual coins shows
great detail so the display of all 12 on one piece is truly spectacular.
The reverse design is a view of the magnificent White Pagoda of Behai
Park, an imperial garden in Beijing. The tower to the right is a white stone
tower decorated with sun, moon, and flame motifs, with a pagoda and other
buildings visible behind and at the water’s edge. The value and date can be
found above and below the Temple. The upper Chinese legend reads “People’s
Republic of China.” Two quatrefoil rosettes divide the upper and lower inscriptions.
The lower inscription describes the occasion for this issue: “the 12th
anniversary of the Chinese zodiac currency issue” or the completion of the
Lunar Cycle. With a mintage of only 20 pieces (with this example stamped #20 and
a certificate of authenticity included) this coin is sure to attract high
demand once it reaches the auction block. The frosted devices are all very
attractive and complete with no breaks or missing flecks. The hard mirror
surfaces are entirely lustrous, some hallowing can be seen around the devices
of the reverse and a few very light hairlines can be found if scrutinized.
There is a thin point of contact in the mirrored half of the obverse Yin Yang
which accounts for the slightly grade. A few small copper spots are mostly
relegated to the outer rim. The only example to have been graded by PCGS and
only the fifth graded overall. An incredibly hard to find coin and the chance
to obtain this key piece of modern Chinese numismatics should not be missed.
We are now accepting consignments of world and ancient coins for our
August 2016 ANA Auction as well as Chinese and other Asian coins and currency
for our August 2016 Hong Kong Showcase Auction. Time is running short, so if
you are interested in consigning your coins and paper currency (whether a whole
collection or a single rarity) be sure to contact one of our consignment
directors.
