Chinese Gold Coins
China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world and has been issuing coins for well over 2,000 years. For coin collectors, Chinese coins have a high value and are a fascinating subject. Gold coins have been issued throughout history in China.
Special Coins
The most collectable noteworthy gold coins in the Chinese market are the Unicorn gold coins and the Panda gold coins. The Chinese fascination with astrology and tradition, coupled with the very attractive subject matter, particularly pandas, makes these coins highly collectable and great fun pieces for any collection. The Unicorn coin was first issued in 1996 and features the Chinese unicorn as well as the issuing year on one side and on its tail, a depiction of a Western unicorn.
The coins weigh in at one twentieth of a troy ounce and are 99% pure gold. These coins are still legal tender in China but most collectors will be seeking uncirculated coins in absolutely pristine condition. It is hard for anyone to resist the aesthetics and pleasing nature of the Panda coins. Although they are issued every year with a panda motif, each is different and so collecting a full set can be an absorbing hobby. In a similar way to stamps, proof sets were issued in the 1980s and 1990s and can command very respectable prices, as they are reasonably rare.
Year of the Monkey
In the Chinese Year of the Monkey in 2004, a half troy ounce gold coin was issued depicting, unsurprisingly, a monkey on the obverse. This is considered a coin despite its slightly strange appearance making it look more like a wafer than a coin. These are usually seen in a presentation box and as only 6,600 were ever made, they are highly prized and sought after. There are many one off Gold Commemorative Coins issued by the Chinese Mint that can also be a lovely addition to any collector's albums. There are often only a few thousand of these coins ever minted and so they are highly collectable.
The 1993 Peacock gold coin, for example, only ever saw 1,200 issued. This coin features a painting called 'Peacock' that was completed by Lang Shining during the Qing Dynasty. Its scarcity means it can command, say, three times the price of a coin such as the 1979 International Children's Year coin featuring two children planting a tree on its reverse which saw a mintage of 13,000.
A full set of the 1998 Guilin Scenery coins, unusual for their rectangular shape, are not only very pretty showing four scenic pots of Nanxi Hill, Duxiu Peak, Elephant Trunk Hill and Flowery Bridge, but also extremely rare with only 904 sets having been minted.
Dinosaur Coin
Sometimes, an event of great significance will give rise to a coin being minted like the discovery of an important archaeological site containing dinosaur bones in Shanxi. The 1995 Dinosaur coin only saw 2,000 minted and is much sought after. Due to the extreme purity of the gold content in Chinese coins, their value in raw material terms is about the same as gold bullion. The rarity of some coins and sets, as well as the very pleasing designs, mean that they can be worth far more. As ever in the collecting world, certificates of authenticity should be sought wherever possible.
