On April 17th, it was announced that the People's Bank of China will issue a set of commemorative gold and silver coins for the millennium of Chinese paper money on April 22, 2024.
The set of commemorative coins consists of three pieces, including two gold coins and one silver coin, all of which are legal tender of the People's Republic of China.
The reverse design of the rectangular gold commemorative coin, weighing 150 grams, features a combination of typical urban streets and alleys of Chengdu during the Northern Song Dynasty, scenes of commercial activities, and distinctive regional landscapes. The denomination is 2000 CNY.
The coin, measuring 64mm x 40mm, contains 150 grams of pure gold with a fineness of 99.9%. Its maximum mintage is 500 pieces.
The reverse design of the 8-gram rectangular gold commemorative coin features the numeral "1000" along with iconic elements of banknotes and swirling ribbons, with a denomination of 100 CNY.
The coin contains 8 grams of pure gold, measures 23 millimeters by 15 millimeters, with a face value of 100 CNY, purity of 99.9%, and a maximum mintage of 10,000 pieces.
The reverse design of the 30-gram rectangular silver commemorative coin features the number "1024," an image of Yizhou Jiashiwu (ancient banknotes), scenes of currency exchange, and decorative ribbons. It has a denomination of 10 CNY.
The coin contains 30 grams of pure silver, with dimensions of 42 millimeters by 27.5 millimeters. It has a purity of 99.9% and a maximum mintage of 20,000 pieces.
The commemorative coins are minted by Shanghai Mint Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Guobao Mint Co., Ltd., with China Gold Coin Corporation as the general distributor.
On January 12, 1024 AD (the twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month of the first year of the Tian Sheng era of the Northern Song Dynasty), the Northern Song Dynasty established the Yizhou Jiaozhi Office in the Chengdu area and officially issued "official Jiaozhi," which became universally recognized as the world's earliest paper money.
The invention of paper money is a significant innovation in the history of China and even the world's development. It emerged during the peak of ancient Chinese commercial and economic growth, filling the serious deficiencies of metal coinage and promoting the prosperity of ancient China.
The issuance of this set of commemorative coins highlights the significant importance of promoting the invention of paper money to global development, showcasing the achievements of ancient Chinese financial innovation, and possessing important commemorative value.
