China’s “Year of the Monkey” Wins Best Circulating for 2016 Dated COTY Coin
China’s bi-metallic “Year of the monkey” 10 Yuan coin won the Best Circulating category in the Krause Coin of the Year Awards for 2016 dated coins. In addition to the stunning design, the coin features new security features. The commemorative circulating 10-yuan coins are legal tender of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
The “Year of the Monkey” coin is part of the People’s Bank of China’s annual Lunar Calendar series. The Lunar Calendar or Zodiac changes annually, and every year is represented by one of twelve animals. Traditionally, people born in the same year are said to reflect certain characteristics tied to each animal. The characteristics of people born in the Year of the Monkey include being intelligent, quick-witted, adaptable, lively, gentle and honest. The Year of the Monkey started on February 8, 2016 and ended on January 27, 2017.
Three Chinese Mints took part in the production of the 2016 Lunar Monkeys – the Shanghai Mint, the Shenyang Mint and the Shenzhen Guobao Mint. However, the coins do not include a Mint mark distinguishing the location of manufacture.
The Year of the Money coins use a Brass Alloy for the outer ring. Meanwhile, a Nickel Alloy composite is used for the inner core. The obverse of the bi-metallic coin shows a stylized money, along with a Chinese lantern and flowers. The reverse includes the face value (10 yuan) with a latent image above an ornamented rosette at center. The year of issue (2016) is inscribed below. The edge of the coin features slanted reeding — every second reed only spreads over 40 percent of the width.
The “Year of the Monkey” coin weighs 9.2 grams and measures 27 millimeters in diameter. A total of 500 million 2016 zodiac coins were released across China. The People’s Bank of China also produced several collector gold coins and silver coins to celebrate the Year of the Money.