China: Plum blossoms, lanterns, and magpies feature on New Year’s gold and silver Proof coins 

The People’s Bank of China has issued a series of gold and silver commemorative coins for the Lunar New Year, now the eighth consecutive year since the launch of this project in 2014. The ancient practice of saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new and the culture of the Chinese Lunar New Year have a long history, rich connotations, and profound heritage steeped in family and celebration. For 2022, the designs focus on the theme of “Blessings in the Window,” along with the word “Fu” in Chinese characters with traditional window lattices and eaves reflecting the perfect combination of traditional architecture and the modern decoration style.

Minted by Shenzhen National Treasure Mint Company Ltd. on behalf of the People’s Bank of China, the obverse side of both the gold and silver coins share the elements of plum blossoms and lanterns hanging from outside windows. For the silver coins, two magpies, one male and one female, are shown on either side of the centred word “Fu.” The left and right window lattices, a style prevalent during the Ming Dynasty, are symmetrical, and the corner of the eaves and lanterns of the residential houses are exposed under the left window lattice, which corresponds to the plum blossom under the right window lattice. Below the primary design is the denomination 10 元 (gold) or 3 元 (silver).

The reverse side includes the standard depiction of the national emblem of the People’s Republic of China. The name of the country 中 华 人 民 共 和 国 (“People’s Republic of China”) is placed above the emblem which includes an image of the Temple of Heaven along the upper edge. The year of issue 2022 is shown below.

Denom.	Metal	Weight	Diameter	Quality	Mintage Limit
Three yuan	.999 Silver	8 g	25 mm	Proof	200,000
10 yuan	.999 Gold	1 g	10 mm	Proof	100,000

Each gold and silver coin is available by way of the distribution networks of the China Gold Coin Incorporation (CGCI). For details of these and other coins released by the People’s Bank of China, please visit the website of the China Gold Coin Network or e-mail at     

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