The Singapore Mint has been appointed by the Monetary Authority of Macau as the official mint and exclusive international sales agent responsible for the production and international marketing of the new Macau Lunar Coin Series. The new series covers a period of 12 years, commencing from 2020, and follows the success of the previous lunar series (2008–2019), which had clinched numerous international awards including the “Vicenza Palladio” international prizes and the Mint Directors’ Conference “Most Beautiful Commemorative Gold Coin” awards. The Singapore Mint sees this appointment as a testament and recognition of its capabilities in design creativity, skilful craftsmanship and innovative minting techniques, accompanied by its marketing credentials and strong track records as an international mint.
The brand new Macau Lunar Coin Series adopts a fresh set of designs and innovative minting techniques. The obverse designs feature colourful Portuguese-inspired patterned tiles within the designs to form the artistic silhouette of each Chinese zodiac animal. As an extension of the previous Macau Lunar Coin Series, the reverse designs continue to feature historic sites located within the Historic Centre of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The new series artistically features the sites in the latest angular high relief minting technique, to immerse collectors in the grandeur architectural buildings.
The first 2 designs unveiled in this series are the 2020 Year of the Rat and the 2021 Year of the Ox commemorative coins. 3 coin types are available for each design, in 1 oz 999 Fine Silver, 5 oz 999 Fine Silver and ½ oz 999.9 Fine Gold. The 5 oz silver coins are each embedded with a sparkling Swarovski crystal, and the gold coins are each embellished with an exquisite gold Swarovski ring, creating a dazzling collection.
2020 Year of the Rat
The obverse design of this coin features the outline of an inquisitive rat, portrayed with a vibrant display of the distinctive Portuguese-inspired patterned tiles. Lotuses, which are a symbol of Macau, are embellished at the background, adding to the intricacy of the coin design. The accompanying texts are also thoughtfully arranged to resemble the Map of the Macau Peninsula.
The reverse design showcases the latest angular high relief minting technique, to portray the St. Augustine’s Church, a historic site within the Historic Centre of Macau. The facade of the Church is simple, adopting the classical structure of the European Renaissance era. The new coin series is innovatively designed using the side perspective to demonstrate the prominent three-dimensional effect in highlighting the architectural details , immersing collectors in the modest and majestic grandeur of the church.
2021 Year of the Ox
The obverse design of the coin features the outline of an energetic ox, portrayed with a vibrant display of blue and orange coloured Portuguese-inspired patterned tiles, accentuating the vigour of the ox. Lotuses, which are a symbol of Macau, are embellished at the background, adding to the intricacy of the coin design. The accompanying texts are also thoughtfully arranged to resemble the Map of the Macau Peninsula. The reverse design features the Lou Kau Mansion which is exquisitely sculpted by the latest angular high relief minting technique. The structure of the Lou Kau Mansion has the architectural characteristics of typical Chinese courtyard houses while the decorative motifs of the mansion integrate subtle western traits. This includes the featured oyster shell application on the windows preserved on its exterior facade which is common in neighbouring regions of the Guangdong Province. Moreover, the innovative angular side perspective presentation coupled with the intricate depiction immerses collectors in the depth of the mansion’s gentle and slender architectural profile.
There is limited coin allocation for international market distribution outside Macau. The Singapore Mint is the exclusive international marketing agent outside Macau, and interested wholesalers can contact The Singapore Mint for more information. Issuance of the coins will commence from January 2021.
For more information, visit the website of the Singapore Mint.
Here you can watch a video presenting the new Macau Lunar Coin Series.
If you want to take a look behind the scenes, read the article on Ursula Kampmann’s visit to the Singapore Mint.
To get an idea about what importance has coin collecting in Singapore, read this article on the Singapore International Coin Fair.
