Catalog
See full images - free registration
Continue with Google - no registration!
or register with email
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
500 Francs Year of the Dragon, longevity, 3D
| Issuer | Banque Nationale du Rwanda |
|---|---|
| Year | 2012 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 500 Francs |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A highly sculpted, three-dimensional red-gold-plated dragon rendered in the East Asian tradition occupies the central field, its coiled body rising dramatically in high relief against a lobed cartouche bearing repeated Chinese characters and a central longevity (shou) medallion. The dragon clutches a flaming pearl beneath its body, rendered with fine scale detail throughout. The legend YEAR OF THE DRAGON arcs along the upper periphery in stylised lettering, with the date 2012 inscribed in the lower field. The surrounding flat field is finished in proof-like silver, providing strong contrast to the copper-toned sculptural centrepiece. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Rwanda's entry into the Chinese lunar commemorative market was a calculated licensing play — by the early 2010s, the country had become one of the more active African issuers of novelty bullion aimed squarely at Asian collector markets, with virtually no connection to domestic circulation. This piece was minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprägeanstalt in Munich, a facility responsible for a significant share of the African-licensed lunar series flooding the market during this period.
The red gold effect is achieved through selective electroplating of rose-tinted gold over fine silver substrate — a finish that degrades noticeably with handling.