Taiwan's central bank will issue 120,000 sets of commemorative coins on Jan. 21, ahead of the Year of the Monkey on the Chinese lunar calendar, Shih Tsuen-hua (施遵驊), the director-general of the bank's Department of Issuance, said Thursday.
Each set consists of a one-ounce silver coin with a face value of NT$100 (US$3), and two coins with a face value of NT$50 and NT$20, respectively.
The coin sets will be sold at NT$1,600 each, same as last year, the bank said.
The obverse face of the silver coin features the motif of a nimble monkey picking peaches in a treetop, which was inspired by the exploits of the legendary Monkey King, who famously stole heaven's peaches in the epic Chinese novel "Journey to the West."
The reverse face of the coin bears an image of Lukang Lung-shan Temple in Changhua County.
The central bank has designated Bank of Taiwan to handle the sales of the commemorative coins, starting Jan. 21, Shih said.
Each buyer will be allowed to purchase only one set, he said.
Source: Focus Taiwan
