China to issue commemorative coins, note to celebrate Chinese New Year

The People's Bank of China (PBOC), China's central bank, will issue a set of commemorative coins and a note to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, which falls on Jan. 29, 2025. The set, all legal tender in China, consists of a gold coin, a silver coin, a copper alloy coin and a note. The issuance will begin from Dec. 16, 2024.

Photo shows the front side of the copper alloy coin. (Photo/PBOC)

The front side of the copper alloy coin features the name of the bank, the face value, patterns of flowers and other elements.

Photo shows the front side of the note. (Photo/PBOC)

The front side of the note showcases a snake-shaped design, along with the national emblem of China, the face value, a hologram, the serial number, and other elements.

Photo shows the reverse side of the copper alloy coin. (Photo/PBOC)

The reverse side of the copper alloy coin showcases a snake image that blends the traditional paper-cutting art with a New Year's painting. It also includes patterns of a lamp and ginseng, an herb in traditional Chinese medicine, among other elements.

Photo shows the reverse side of the note. (Photo/PBOC)

The reverse side of the note features a pattern showing children putting up Spring Festival couplets, with residential buildings in north China's Shanxi Province in the background. It also includes images of flowers, a hologram, the face value, and the Chinese characters "Zhongguo Renmin Yinhang Ershi Yuan" in Pinyin, as well as in languages of the Mongolian, Tibetan, Uygur, and Zhuang ethnic groups of China.

The copper alloy coin has a face value of 10 yuan (about $1.38), and a diameter of 27 millimeters. It has a total issuance of 100 million pieces (including 10,000 pieces retained for historical currency archives).

The note has a face value of 20 yuan, with dimensions of 145 millimeters in length and 70 millimeters in width. It has a total issuance of 100 million notes (including 20,000 notes retained for historical currency archives).

The front sides of the gold and silver coins feature traditional Chinese auspicious elements, symbolizing happiness and blessings.

Photo shows the front side of the one-gram round gold coin. (Photo/PBOC)

Photo shows the front side of the 8-gram rhombic silver coin. (Photo/PBOC)

The reverse side of the one-gram round gold coin features a combination design of the Chinese character "Fu" (meaning good fortune), persimmons, and bat patterns, with the face value displayed.

Photo shows the reverse side of the one-gram round gold coin. (Photo/PBOC)

The reverse side of the 8-gram rhombic silver coin showcases a scene with the Chinese character "Fu" and displays the face value.

Photo shows the reverse side of the 8-gram rhombic silver coin. (Photo/PBOC)

The one-gram round gold coin contains one gram of pure gold, with a maximum issuance of 150,000 pieces. The 8-gram rhombic silver coin contains 8 grams of pure silver, with a maximum issuance of 1,500,000 pieces.