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400 Yuan Tiananmen
| Issuer | People's Republic of China |
|---|---|
| Year | 1979 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 16.95 g |
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| Reverse description | The reverse presents a detailed view of the Tiananmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) in Beijing, depicted in three-quarter perspective with its characteristic double-eaved pavilion and ceremonial archways, rendered in fine relief against a mirror-polished field. To the left stands one of the ornate palace lantern posts characteristic of Tiananmen Square, while to the upper right a large traditional Chinese festive lantern is prominently displayed. Radiating lines emanating from behind the gate fill the upper field, evoking sunrays symbolic of the new republic. The denomination '400元' is inscribed in Arabic numerals and Chinese characters along the lower field. |
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| Mintage | 1979 - Proof; Shanghai and Shenyang Mint - 70,000 |
| Additional information |
Issued as part of China's first modern gold coin series, released just months after Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms began dismantling the Maoist command economy. The coins were produced primarily for export and foreign exchange generation — the People's Republic had virtually no domestic collector market in 1979, and private gold ownership by Chinese citizens remained effectively prohibited.
The series was struck at the Beijing Mint in extremely limited numbers, making early PRC gold issues genuinely scarce by any measure.