10 Yuan Hoopoe Bird

Issued as part of China's long-running auspicious animals series, the Hoopoe was chosen for its deep roots in Chinese cultural symbolism — the bird appears in classical poetry and is associated with filial piety, a value the state was actively promoting through official culture during the late 1990s reform period. The two-year span reflects a common practice by the China Mint of carrying identical issues across fiscal years without altering the die.