September 27, 2018 – Everybody who can call a cat his or her own knows that cats are very special animals. For all cat lovers, CIT Coin Invest AG has designed a special gold coin in the shape of what is probably the world’s most famous cat: Maneki Neko – a beckoning cat.
Palau / 1 dollar / gold .9999 / 0.5 g / 13.92 mm / Mintage: 15,000.
The tradition of putting up ceramic cats with a raised paw can be traced back to 16th century Japan. They were modelled on real cats, whose grooming movements were interpreted as a sort of waving. It is said about them that their “beckoning” could attract luck, wealth, or customers. A beckoning cat must display several features: It always carries a (red) collar and a small golden bell. One of its forepaws must be raised. Here, it is of crucial importance which one that is. The right paw promises luck and riches, the left paw attracts visitors or customers.
A typical Maneki Neko from China. Image: WClarke / CC BY-SA 4.0.
Coin Invest’s little beckoning cat is equipped with an additional symbol: a Japanese koban, the most important gold coin from the Edo period. Maneki Neko is the latest edition in the popular Special Shapes Gold Coins series, which CIT Coin Invest has been producing since 2007. The specially designed aesthetics of the series is reminiscent of modern popular culture and thus fits the beckoning cat, whose latest renditions in the shape of “Hello Kitty” have found their way into girl’s bedrooms all over the world, beautifully.
More information on this coin can be obtained from the CIT website.
The Japanese Maneki Neko Museum explains the history of this tradition in more detail.
If you have ever wondered what would happen if real cats encountered a beckoning cat watch this entertaining video.