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Figure 1 Liu Ying delivering a speech |
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Figure 2 Jiang Lihua delivering a speech |
Figure 3 Michael Chou delivering a speech |
On the afternoon of September 12, 2020, the release ceremony for the 2021 Cook Islands 2 Dollar Space Panda commemorative silver coin designed by top Chinese panda coin designer Yu Min was held at Nine Art Gallery (九方禾穀藝術館) in Shenyang. The second anniversary celebration of Nine Art Gallery foundation and the Shenyang International Exquisite Coin Exhibition were also held in the same day.
The opening ceremony of those events was hosted by Ms. Yidan (伊丹), a host of Collection World at Shenyang Radio and TV Station. In the beginning of the ceremony, Nine Art Gallery curator Liu Ying (劉瀛) delivered a speech (Figure 1). Among the guests present at the ceremony were Wang Yiheng (王意恒), Director of Liaoning Political and Consultative Committee for Culture and History, Jiang Lihua (姜力華) (Figure 2), Deputy Secretary of Liaoning Numismatic Society, Ma Jin (馬今), Deputy Director General of Shenyang Municipal Culture, Tourism, Radio and Television Bureau, Michael Chou (Figure 3), President of Champion Auction, Chief Editor of JEAN and one of the judges of Coin of the Year Awards, Wang Fude (王福德) (Figure 4), former senior designer of Shenyang Mint Co., Ltd., Mateo Zhao (Figure 5), NGC China Regional Sales Manager. The above guests also gave speeches after Ms. Liu. More than 70 numismatics experts were present at the release ceremony, such as Director of the Liaoning Provincial Social Welfare Development Center Guo Donghai (郭東海), Chinese Editor of JEAN Yuan Shuiqing (袁水清), Deputy Director of Research Office of Shenyang Financial Museum Liu Lei (劉磊), and some well-known coins collectors like Zhang Peilin (張培林), Liu Guanglong (劉廣隆), Cui Li (崔力), and Li Mingze (李明澤) (Figure 6).
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Figure 4 Wang Fude delivering a speech |
Figure 5 Mateo Zhao delivering a speech |
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Figure 6 Liu Ying introducing some distinguished guests present at the release ceremony: Liu Ying, Mateo Zhao, Yu Min, Wang Fude, Michael Chou, Liu Guanglong, Jiang Lihua, Yuan Shuiqing, Zhang Peilin, and Ma Jin (from the left to the right); the second row: Yi Dan |
On January 3, 2019, the far side of the moon got its first earthly visitor. The Chinese spacecraft, Chang’e-4, successfully landed on the far side of the moon, achieving humanity’s first-ever soft landing on the moon’s far side. This unprecedented undertaking was selected as one of China’s top ten scientific and technological news events in 2019. To commemorate this technological achievement, the Cook Islands issued in 2019 Space Panda 5 Dollar commemorative silver coin, hereafter referred to as 2019 Space Panda silver coins. Through applying the latest nano technology, silver-titanium alloy and ultra-high relief design, those coins were designed by Yu Min and struck by the German company B.H. Mayer Mint (Figure 7). The second anniversary of Chang’e 4’s landing on the far side of the moon fell on January 3, 2021. To commemorate this, the Cook Islands issued the 2021 Space Panda 2 Dollar commemorative silver coin, which were later presold at the Shenyang release ceremony by Champion Auction with a limited quantity of 300 pieces.
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Figure 7 The 2019 Cook Islands Space Panda 5 Dollar |
Struck at the B.H. Mayer Mint, the 2021 Cook Islands Space Panda 2 Dollar commemorative silver coin was also designed by Yu Min. On the obverse side of the coins, the main pattern is a Long March 3B carrier rocket launching Chang’e 4, showing the remarkable progress achieved by China’s space industry, and on the left is a portrait of Elizabeth II. The outer ring of the obverse was engraved with “COOK ISLANDS”, the year of issuance “2021” and the denomination “2 DOLLARS”. On the reverse of the coins are legends, both in English and Chinese, read “the Second Anniversary of Chang’e-4 lunar landing on the Far Side”. The main pattern of the coins is the partially gold plated Chang’e-4 spacecraft landing on the moon, and the background is the distant Earth and starry sky. The panda in a spacesuit represents Chinese astronauts pursuing dreams in the endless universe. The weight of a 2021 Space Panda coin is one ounce, while its fineness is 99.9% silver and its mintage is 2,000. Starting from October, 600 2021 Space Panda coins will be issued in China for 999 yuan for each. (Figure 8)
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Figure 8 Design draft of the 2021 Cook Islands Space Panda 2 Dollar |
According to Yu Min’s introduction at the release ceremony, one of China’s space strategies is to land humans on the Moon before 2030. The main pattern on the reverse of this space panda coin is a panda landing on the moon, which is also the primary design element of the coin, reflecting China’s space dream. The panda’s hand gesture not only symbolizes China’s first landing on the far side of the moon but also means that “I (China) will come back”. According to Yu Min, the coin has three highlights apart from its creative design: Firstly, it was designed and manufactured through Sino-foreign cooperation, combining Chinese design with advanced coin minting technology overseas. This cooperation project is one of the most successful projects that he had cooperated with foreign experts. Secondly, it was minted by the world’s most advanced mint, the B.H. Mayer Mint in Germany. Thirdly, since German experts have no experience in making panda-themed coins or medals, and they don’t use plaster models to produce coins, which may lead to the distortion of panda images, Mr. Yu chose to send the plaster model to Germany. After receiving the plaster model, the German experts scanned and digitized the plaster and then made a mold. Therefore, the panda pattern appeared on the coin was realistic and vivid. (Figure 9)
Figure 9 Yu Min introducing his design concept and the features of the Cook Islands
2021 Space Panda 2 Dollar commemorative silver coin.
After the release ceremony, the participants went to the exhibition hall on the second floor of Nine Art Gallery to visit the International Exquisite Coin Exhibition, which included the following exhibitions: 1) Coins provided by Champion Auction: 51 pieces of ancient coins and milled coins from the Howard Bowker Collection, three rare silver and copper patterns of China Fengtian Province Kuanghsu Yuanpao and China Heilongjiang Province Kuanghsu Yuanpao struck by Germany (Figure 10), and one 1904 Tai Ching Hupeh province one tael silver coin. It was the first time that these coins have appeared in Northeast China; 2) Coins provided by collectors: four varieties of Shenyang Mint 1955 one cent non-metallic trial patterns (orange: reeded edge coin; purple: plain edge coin), and the 1952 10 cents magnesium pattern coin. It was the first time that these coins have appeared in public (Figure 11); 3) the Shenyang Financial Museum treasure ingot (copy) and banknotes of the Northeast Bank; 4) 33 commemorative panda coins and medals designed and engraved by Yu Min; 5) the People’s Bank of China 1951 10,000 yuan sample banknote depicting the painting Eight Horses. All of the above exhibitions were magnets for visitors. Among these, the coins and medals designed by Yu Min, especially the 2021 Cook Islands 2 Dollar Space Panda silver coin and its plaster model with novel packaging, attracted many visitors. Nineteen sets of commemorative coins and medals designed by Yu Min were sold or presold within half an hour. The visitors were competing to obtain Yu Min’s signature on the gift books titled Chinese Show Panda Catalogue 1984-2019, and they were also eager to take photos with Mr. Yu (Figure 12). Furthermore, Mr. Yu’s signature version of the NGC graded one yuan peony coin made its first appearance at the release ceremony.
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Figure 10 Three rare silver and copper patterns of China Fengtian Province Kuanghsu Yuanpao and China Heilongjiang Province Kuanghsu Yuanpao struck in Germany; 1904 Tai Ching Hupeh province one tael silver coin struck in Germany (Photo by: Li Mingze) |
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Figure 11 The Shenyang Mint 1955 one cent non-metallic trial pattern coin (orange: reeded edge coin; purple: plain edge coin) and the 1952 10 cents magnesium pattern coin (Photo by: Jiang Lihua) |
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Figure 12 Yu Min signing the book titled Chinese Show Panda Catalogue 1984-2019 as a gift for those who pre-ordered the 2021 Cook Islands Space Panda silver coins |
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