China: Gold and silver commemorative coins released to mark completion of space station 

The People’s Bank of China has released (9th January) gold and silver commemorative coins, which mark the completion of the country’s space station. Initiated and then launched in 1992, the orbital complex, which is known as Tiangong or “Heavenly Palace,” was finished towards the end of 2022 with the addition of two science laboratories to an earlier launched core module. Both gold and silver commemorative coins are produced at the Shenzhen National Mint Company Ltd. on behalf of the People’s Bank of China.

Ten-yuan silver: The coins are designed by artists Jian Yiping and Cao Aodong. The obverse side of the silver and colour coin depicts two taikonauts, as Chinese astronauts are referred to, working outside of the space station. One of the spacewalkers is mounted to the end of the robotic arm, while the other is emerging out of an airlock. To the left of the space station, the images of the other two modules, which is part of the three-piece orbital complex. The official logo of the project is seen to the right of the taikonauts, and the Chinese characters which read 中 国 空 间站 (“China Space Station”) are placed above the design. Below is the coin’s denomination of 10 元 (“10 Yuan”).

Three-yuan gold: The coins are designed by artists Li Zhihong and Zhang Qi and feature the t-shaped Tiangong or “Heavenly Palace” module on its obverse. The space station is shown with all three modules which are now in place and which complete the orbital complex. Above the depiction of the space station is the commemorative inscription in Chinese characters, which reads 中国 空 间 站 (“China Space Station”) with the official logo of the project, which is shown to the upper-left. The denomination of 50元 (“50 Yuan”) is placed below the primary design.

The reverse design of both the gold and silver commemorative coins features the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, with the name of the country 中 华 人 民 共 和 国 (“People’s Republic of China”) placed above the temple along the upper edge. The year 2022 is shown below, the same year the space station was completed.

Denom.	Metal	Weight	Diameter	Quality	Mintage Limit
10 yuan	.999 Silver	30 g	40 mm	Proof with applied colour	50,000
3 yuan	.999 Gold	3 g	18 mm	Proof	20,000

Each gold and silver coin is available through the distribution networks of the China Gold Coin Incorporation (CGCI). For details about these coins and other coins released by the People’s Bank of China, please visit the website of the China Gold Coin Network or contact your local bullion company/dealer.

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