60,000 Beijing 2008 Olympics coin sets up for grabs

Ahmad Jamaluddin | Jul 28, 2008

Ever since the first Olympic coins were introduced in 1952 in Helsinki, the tradition has continued for all the Summer and Winter games. This year, the Beijing Olympics 2008 commemorative coins come in gold and silver and there are only 60,000 sets--each comprising six gold and 12 silver coins--available worldwide.

All coins feature a pair of dragons, emblem of the games, name of the country and the year on one side, while the reverse of the gold coins picture ancient traditional Chinese sports such as equestrian, archery, swimming, weight lifting, wrestling, and cuju (football games).

Meanwhile, the silver coins are available in three series. The first features designs of children engaged in kite flying, goat jumping, hoop rolling and shuttlecock kicking. The second series highlights famous landmarks around Beijing including the Great Wall of China, Summer Palace, Tibetan Tower of Beihai Park and traditional courtyard dwellings. The last series depict the rich and vibrant Chinese culture of the Peking Opera, Yangge (a popular rural folk dance), lion dance and "Big Bowl Tea".

Denominations of the coins range from 1 yuan (S$0.20) for the alloy brass make, to 10 yuan (S$2) for the silver coins, while gold ones have a value of 150 yuan (S$30). And, yes, they are all legal tender.

Via beijing2008coins

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