SAN MARINO inaugurates the Chinese MOON CALENDAR
Minted in cupronickel with color applications, the first three San Marino coins dedicated to the Chinese Lunar Calendar are available from 4 October
by Chiara Pasqui | There Philatelic and numismatic division of Poste San Marino Spa makes available from 4 October three absolute novelties, three 10 euro collector coins dedicated to Chinese lunar calendar.
The denomination is already evocative of the reverse of each coin: Mouse, Ox and Tiger. In fact, these are the first three coins of a new series that will be composed of twelve issues to dedicate, in fact, to the signs of the lunar calendar. A theme particularly appreciated, as well as sought after, by collectors from all over the world.
The coins show on the obverse – common to all the components of the series – a composition with the three stylized towers and the three pens, a laurel branch on the left and an oak branch on the right; in the lower center, stylized, a sun making its way through the clouds.
Coined from Muenze Oesterreich AG, the Austrian mintthe coins – whose sketches (obverse and reverse) were made by the talented Orietta Rossi – smooth edge and are made of cupronickel weighing 10.10 grams each and a diameter of 27.90 mm.
Of each coin, legal tender starting from 4 October, have been produced 20,000 copies in brilliant uncirculated finish (price 10 euros each plus VAT if applicable) and it will be possible to purchase a special box to keep the entire collection together.
To inaugurate the series is the coin depicting the Rat, the first sign of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The muzzle of the animal is surrounded by a red circle, representing the sun. On the right the word TOPO and the year of issue 2022. Below, on the right, the indication of the value 10 EURO, a sign of the value while on the left, the symbol that identifies the in Chinese language is inserted, a peculiarity of the series together with use of red, which evokes the Far East. Analogous Tiger for the Ox and the Tiger.
The reverse modeling of the coins is elegant and modernfull of symbolism, in perfect harmony with oriental culture and the expectations of experts and enthusiasts. The red color of the sole surrounding the muzzle of the animal also recalls that of the Chinese flag, also known as the “five-star red flag” which became official in September 1949, with the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and created by the economist Zeng Liansong.
The chromatic meaning of the Chinese flag is closely related to the country’s political and social history. The red color they represent communism, and predominates against the background on which they are made five yellow stars, four smaller and one larger. The latter represents the leader of the party and is flanked by other smaller ones, a symbol of the four social classes: workers, peasants, petty bourgeoisie and capitalists.
Different from the Gregorian and lunar calendars, the Chinese calendar is lunisolarthat is based both on the calculation of the movements of the Moon and of the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. The names of the years they are composed of the celestial “root” and the terrestrial “branch”. A total of sixty combinations are thus recognized, which is why a cycle is completed every sixty years.
Each year on the Chinese calendar is associated with a zodiac sign and begins with the Chinese New Year. 2022 is the year of the Tiger. The Chinese New Year falls on a different day each year, according to the lunisolar cycles. The date of the New Year, however, is always between January and February.
The Chinese calendar also takes into account the horoscope and gods twelve animals that make up the Chinese zodiac; an animal is cyclically associated with each year: mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
In China it is customary to ask a person what their zodiac sign is: it is considered a polite way to ask for age. According to traditional customs, the horoscope influences personality, career prospects, couple affinity and relationships, as well as luck and many others in people’s lives.
In more traditional familieseven today, before making important decisions, choosing the wedding date, moving house, making investments and choosing the name for the baby, the horoscope and the lunar calendar are consulted.