- Chinese Modern Coins
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Chinese modern coinage dates from 1979 when the China Mint issued its first commemorative coins in their precious metal coin program that continues to this day.
In 1976, the Government of the Philippines proposed through the United Nations General Assembly that the year 1979 would be the International Year of the Child for the purposes of developing and promoting child protection, education and welfare services in all countries. To commemorate the International Year of the Child, 12 countries including Bolivia, Canada, China, Ethiopia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates decided to issue commemorative gold coins with China, Nepal and Thailand also opting to issue double thickness or "Piefort" coins.
Since 1979, China has issued numerous varieties of precious metal coins in gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Coins vary in size and weight from fractions of a troy ounce (1/2, 1/4, 1/10, 1/20) to Kilogram and even 10 Kilogram in size.
For many years, with restrictions in China on precious metal ownership, the mint collaborated exclusively with overseas distributors who would sell the coins—sometimes issued as a part of a boxed set with certificates—to investors and collectors. Since regulation has relaxed in China on precious metal ownership by citizens, however, many coins have been exported back to China.
As a part of the coin program headed by China Gold Coin, series have included the Chinese Panda coins, Lunar-Zodiac Animal Coins, Inventions and Discoveries, Bronze Age Finds and Olympic Commemorative Issues. Of the two thousand plus varieties of coins that have been minted over two hundred types have a mintage of under 1,000 pieces, such a the Kilo Gold Lunar Scallop Coins first issued in the year 2000 with the Dragon with a mintage of 15.
In 2009 the China Mint issued the 28th year of the Gold Panda Coin that was first released in 1982 and the 27th year of the Silver Panda Coin that began in 1983. It was also the Year of the Ox in the Chinese Lunar Year calendar with the China Mint releasing commemorative coins in both gold and silver including colored issues and the rectangle silver and gold coins both weighing 5 troy ounces.
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