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50 Yuan Journey to the West - Ocean Pillar
| Issuer | People's Bank of China |
|---|---|
| Year | 2003 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 155.5 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Colorized proof reverse depicting Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, reclining leisurely on an ornate couch or bench amid a profusion of magical peaches, rendered in vibrant polychrome enamel against the brilliant mirror-proof silver field. The Monkey King is portrayed in his characteristic royal attire, holding a peach to his lips in a scene referencing the episode of the Heavenly Peach Banquet from Journey to the West. The denomination 50元 is inscribed at the upper left, and the four-character legend 蟠桃盛会 (Peach Banquet) appears at the lower right, both in Chinese characters. A decorative floral and fruit motif frames portions of the composition, enhancing the festive character of the scene. |
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| Mintage | 2003 - - 10,000 |
| Additional information |
Part of the People's Bank of China's long-running Journey to the West commemorative series, this 2003 issue depicts one of the most celebrated episodes from Wu Cheng'en's 16th-century novel. The five-ounce format was used selectively within the series to accommodate more elaborate high-relief designs, and pieces from this run were produced in relatively low mintages aimed squarely at the collector market rather than any circulation function.
The "Ocean Pillar" subject references the Ruyi Jingu Bang — the magical staff Sun Wukong takes from the Dragon King's underwater palace. Chinese silver commemoratives of this period are frequently found with original capsules and boxes intact, which materially affects secondary market values.