10 Yuan Dream of Red Mansion

The Dream of the Red Chamber series ran across multiple years, with the 2003 issue continuing a program that had drawn considerable collector attention since its inception. The novel itself — an 18th-century Qing dynasty work attributed primarily to Cao Xueqin — is regarded as the pinnacle of classical Chinese literature, and the Chinese Mint's decision to dedicate a sustained commemorative series to it reflected a broader state-backed effort through the 1990s and 2000s to monetize cultural heritage through precious metal issues.

Mintage for individual releases in this series was capped at 60,000 pieces.