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1000 Yuan Year of the Rat
| Issuer | People's Republic of China |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Design inspired by a painting by the celebrated Chinese master Qi Baishi (齐白石), depicting a rat clinging to the chain of a traditional steelyard balance, rendered in fine relief with meticulous attention to the animal's whiskers and curling tail. The balance beam and suspended counterweight are prominently displayed to the right of the central motif. The denomination 1000元 appears at the upper field in Arabic numerals and Chinese characters. To the right, vertical Chinese characters identify the artistic source, and an oval seal cartouche appears to the left in the field. |
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| Reverse lettering | 1000元 百鼠 白石老人图 |
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| Additional information |
The 1996 Chinese Lunar Gold series sat at the premium end of the People's Bank of China's bullion program, which by the mid-1990s had become a significant hard currency earner as foreign collectors drove demand well beyond domestic interest. At 12 troy ounces, this is among the largest denominations in the annual Lunar issue — a size tier the mint reserved for prestige export pieces rather than anything approaching genuine circulation.
The Rat is the first sign of the twelve-year cycle, a fact that historically inflates collector premiums on this date relative to mid-cycle years.