500 Yuan Chinese White Dolphin

The Chinese White Dolphin series was launched in part to raise international awareness of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, designated a protected species in Hong Kong waters precisely as the 1997 handover approached. That political timing was deliberate — the issue functioned as much as a diplomatic statement about environmental stewardship under incoming Chinese administration as it did a bullion collectible. The 155.5g specification places this firmly in the 5-troy-ounce category, a format the People's Bank favored for prestige issues throughout the 1990s.

Mintages for the white dolphin gold issues were extremely low, typically in the hundreds rather than thousands.