Singapore's Lunar Series gold miniatures were produced for the gift market rather than circulation, with the 7 mm format deliberately sized to fit into traditional red packet envelopes. The 2008 rat issue coincided with what the Singapore Tourism Board projected would be a bumper Lunar New Year — the year fell on February 7th, and visitor arrivals for that period broke previous records before the global financial crisis hit later that year.
Singapore's Lunar Series gold miniatures were produced for the gift market rather than circulation, with the 7 mm format deliberately sized to fit into traditional red packet envelopes. The 2008 rat issue coincided with what the Singapore Tourism Board projected would be a bumper Lunar New Year — the year fell on February 7th, and visitor arrivals for that period broke previous records before the global financial crisis hit later that year.