Clinker

Hi!
Most of you know my main coin collecting ambition is to own all the silver coins dated 1935 (my birthyear) produced by every country of the world including the United States of America. Since September 2008 I added 1935 U.S.A. Silver Certificates to my quest. I realize that 1935 is not a date on our paper currency (it is the series number).

However, this got me to thinking, "What if?" trying to discover other possible coin collecting venue.

The Chinese Zodiac popped into my mind. "What if" someone decided to collect coins bearing their Chinese Zodiac animal?

Do you? Let me point out that the Animals of the Chinese Zodiac cover 12 years and each animal sign encompasses an entire year. Now here is where it gets a little tricky: The Chinese zodiac year and the Western Gregorian year do not align. You already know the Chinese New Year celebration does not take place at midnight on Decermber 31. The Chinese zodiac year begins in one Gregorian year and ends in the following Gregorian year. Many people born in November or December of any given year share the same Chinese Zodiac sign with the people born during January through October (maybe November) of the following year.

Following is a list of the Chinese Zodiac animals and their relationship to the Gregorian months:

RAT :

Jan.31,1900 to Feb.19,1901
Feb.18,1912 to Feb.06,1913
Feb.05,1924 to Jan.24,1925
Jan.24,1936 to Feb.10,1937
Feb.10,1948 to Feb.14,1949
Jan.28,1960 to Feb.14,1961
Jan.16,1972 to Feb.02,1973
Feb.02,1984 to Feb.19,1985

OX:

Feb.19,1901 to Feb.07,1902
Feb.06,1913 to Jan.25,1914
Jan.25,1925 to Feb.12,1926
Feb.11,1937 to Jan.30,1938
Jan.29,1949 to Feb.16,1950
Feb.15,1961 to Feb.04,1962
Feb.03,1973 to Jan.22,1974
Feb.20,1985 to Feb.08,1986

TIGER:

Feb.08,1902 to Jan.28,1903
Jan.26,1914 to Feb.13,1915
Feb.13,1926 to Feb.01,1927
Jan.31,1938 to Feb.18,1939
Feb.17,1950 to Feb.05,1951
Feb.05,1962 to Jan.24,1963
Jan.23,1974 to Feb.10,1975
Jan.09,1986 to Jan.28,1987

HARE or RABBIT:

Jan.29,1903 to Feb.15,1904
Feb.14,1915 to Feb.16,1916
Feb.02,1927 to Jan.22,1928
Feb.19,1939 to Feb.07,1940
Feb.06,1951 to Jan.26,1952
Jan.25,1963 to Feb.12,1964
Feb.11,1975 to Jan.30,1976
Jan.29,1987 to Feb.16,1988

DRAGON:

Feb.16,1904 to Feb.03,1905
Feb.03,1916 to Jan.22,1917
Jan.23,1928 to Feb.09,1929
Feb.08,1940 to Jan.26,1941
Jan.27,1952 to Feb.13,1953
Feb.13,1964 to Feb.01,1965
Jan.31,1976 to Feb.17,1977
Feb.17,1988 to Feb.05,1989

SNAKE:

Feb.04,1905 to Jan.24,1906
Jan.23,1917 to Feb.10,1918
Feb.10,1929 to Jan.29,1930
Jan.27,1941 to Feb.14,1942
Feb.14,1953 to Feb.02,1954
Feb.02,1965 to Jan.20,1966
Feb.18,1977 to Feb.06,1978
Feb.06,1989 to Jan.26,1990

HORSE :

Jan.25,1906 to Feb.12,1907
Feb.11,1918 to Jan.31,1919
Jan.30,1930 to Feb.16,1931
Jan.15,1942 to Feb.04 1943
Feb.03,1954 to Jan.23,1955
Jan.21,1966 to Feb.08,1967
Feb.07,1978 to Jan.27,1979
Jan.27,1990 to Feb.14,1991

SHEEP OR GOAT:

Feb.13,1907 to Feb.01,1908
Feb.01,1919 to Feb.19,1920
Feb.17,1931 to Feb.05,1932
Jan.05,1943 to Jan.24,1944
Jan.24,1955 to Feb.11,1956
Feb.09,1967 to Jan.28,1968
Jan.28,1979 to Feb.15,1980
Feb.15,1991 to Feb.03,1992

MONKEY:

Feb.02,1908 to Jan.21,1909
Feb.20,1920 to Feb.07,1921
Feb.06,1932 to Jan.25,1933
Jan.25,1944 to Feb.12,1945
Feb.12,1956 to Jan.30,1957
Jan.30,1968 to Feb.16,1969
Feb.16,1980 to Feb.04,1981
Feb.04,1992 to Jan.22,1993

ROOSTER:

Jan.22,1909 to Feb.09,1910
Feb.08,1921 to Jan.27,1922
Jan.26,1933 to Feb.13,1934
Feb.13,1945 to Feb.01,1946
Jan.31,1957 to Feb.17,1958
Feb.17,1969 to Feb.05,1970
Feb.05,1981 to Jan.24,1982
Jan.23,1993 to Feb.09,1994

DOG:

Feb.10,1910 to Jan.29,1911
Jan.28,1922 to Feb.13,1923
Feb.14,1934 to Feb.03,1935
Feb.02,1946 to Jan.21,1947
Feb.18,1958 to Feb.07,1959
Feb.06,1970 to Jan.26,1971
Jan.25,1982 to Feb.12,1983
Feb.10,1994 to Jan.30,1995

BOAR OR PIG:

Jan.30,1911 to Feb.17,1912
Feb.16,1923 to Feb.04,1924
Feb.04,1935 to Jan.23,1936
Jan.22,1947 to Feb.09,1948
Feb.08,1959 to Jan.27,1960
Jan.27,1971 to Jan.15,1972
Feb.13,1983 to Feb.01,1984
Jan.31,1995 to Feb.18,1996

Note: IF the years shown are earlier than your birthyear you can find your Zodiac animal sign by deducting 12 from your birthyear to ascertain your Zodiac sign, i.e. A son born in June, 2002. Deduct 12 from 2002 and you get 1990. Look up June 1990 and you see it falls under the influence of "Year of the Horse." So if you were born in June of 2002, your Chinese Zodiac sign is "Horse."

For a better understanding of my "What if," let's see what "Year of the Horse" coins were struck in 2002. Let's make this even simpler by discovering what gold "Year of the Horse" coins dated 2002 were struck

I think you will agree this gold "Year of the Horse" coin struck by the Perth Mint in Australia is a good start. It is the second coin of their Lunar series of Chinese zodiac coins:

http://www.lunarcollectorcoins.com/y...gold-coins.htm

I hope you read all the text and learned more about the different metals used, the low mintages and the different weights produced (1/10 ounce, Silver, 1/4 ounce and 1 ounce.

I've selected a few great 2002 "Year of the Horse" gold coins for you to view.but first, another prominent weight (2 oz. gold) from the Perth Mint. As "good fortune" prevails Coin of the Year presents us with a great photo of the 2 oz gold coin, but, also, gives us a bonus look at the silver 1 oz. "Year of the Horse" coin too:

http://www.coinoftheyear.com/horse.html

Here's a contribution to our subject matter produced by the Royal Candian Mint. Please read accompanying text:

http://www.centercoin.com/canadian_r...horse_coin.htm

Note other countries produced 2002 "Year of the Horse" coins in weights up to a kilogram.

Panda America offers all these:

http://www.pandaamerica.com/NEWS_chi...03_29_2002.ASP

Here's a 1/10 oz. you're sure to like courtesy of Sunfeico:

http://www.sunfeico.com/2002ghorse_round.htm

Courtesy of Sunfeico here's two images of two very unique 2002 "Year of the Horse" coins (one 1 oz. silver, one 1/2 oz gold):

http://www.sunfeico.com/2002fan_horse_silver.htm

http://www.sunfeico.com/2002fan_horse_gold.htm

And here's a colorized version of our subject coins:

http://www.sunfeico.com/2002color_horse.htm

Would like to see one of Viet Nam's gold 2002 "Year of the Horse" coins? Image courtesy of Singapore Mint:

http://www.singaporemint.com/media_releases.php?rID=10

Someone once said to "Leave the best for last." With that premise here is an image of the Royal Canadian Mint's Hologram "Year of the Horse" coin:

http://www.colonialacres.com/cgi-bin...=2002horsegold

Even in collecting Chinese Zodiac coins you have choices,

i.e.

you may collect only gold or silver Chinese Zodiac coins bearing your western birthyear date.

you may collect only uncirculated single coins of any weight or purity bearing your Westen birthyear date.

you may collect only proof singles of any weight or purity bearing your birthyear date.

you may collect sets of either NCLT precious metal coins bearing your birthyear date.

You may collect all years indicated under your zodiac sign, including your birthyear date.

You may collect any or all coins bearing any Chinese Zodiac animal on it. Here are two 12 piece Chinese Zodiac coin sets. Both images courtesy of Joels Coins:

Look at this set authorized by Malawi:

http://www.joelscoins.com/new1.htm#malawi

And we close this subject with Somalia's 12 piece set:


http://www.joelscoins.com/new1.htm#somalia


If you have a photo of your Chinese Zodiac coin please show me...


Hope you enjoyed,

Clinker

Just Carl

Thanks for that info. I now know I'm a Tiger.

raider34

Great thread Clinker, very interesting. My zodiac is the horse, I like those Perth mint gold coins.

kanga

I'm the Year of the Snake. Known that for quite a while.
Told that to a Chinese man one time and his initial reaction was, "Ooooooo, that's not good."
Okay, now I have to find out how bad it really is.

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hontonai

Just to complicate things, you should be aware that since 1872 the Japanese zodiac year has aligned with the western Gregorian calendar; and virtually all the rest of Southeast Asia uses the Gregorian solar calendar for secular purposes today, but maintains the Buddhist lunar calendar for some purposes.Except in Japan, where everyone born in a given Gregorian year shares the same zodiac sign.

The Southeast Asian lunar calendar names the years somewhat differently from culture to culture. For example, although the Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai calendars all include the years of the Rat, Tiger, Horse, Monkey, Rooster and Dog:

• The Chinese/Japanese Year of the Ox is the Vietnamese Year of the Buffalo and the Thai Year of the Bull
• The Chinese/Japanese/Thai Year of the Rabbit is the Vietnamese Year of the Cat
• The Chinese/Japanese/Vietnamese Years of the Dragon and Snake are the Thai Years of the Big Snake and Little Snake
• The Chinese Year of the Sheep/Goat is the Japanese Year of the Sheep and the Vietnamese/Thai Year of the Goat
• The Chinese/Vietnamese/Thai Year of the Pig is the Japanese Year of the Wild Boar

None of which seriously impacts Clinker's interesting approach to a targeted collection, and frankly isn't likely to win any trivia bar bets.

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Clinker

So happy you read my post and "thank you" for commenting. You didn't
tell me if you own any "Year of the Tiger" coins. Do you?

Clinker

Clinker

Thanks for commenting. Do you have any "Year of the Horse" coins with your birthyear date on it/them?

Clinker

Clinker

Thanks for the addendum. Maybe some member will do the same with the Western Zodiac.

Clinker

raider34

Unfortunately I do not, though I might pick up one of the silver ones you posted.

bobbeth87

I never knew I was a Tiger. Cool. Thanks and good luck with getting all that silver!

__________________
Bob

Clinker

Thanks, once again, for reading and commenting...

Clinker

Art

Very interesting. Now I know that I'm year of the Dog. I think I have an Irish coin with a dog on it. But that's about all in my collection with this theme.

Very interesting thread and posts. Thanks.

Clinker

It's not as bad as the image "Snake" conjurs up. There are some very meaningful attributes to "Snake" including your compatibity signs in both female and male.

Clinker

Thanks for reading and posting your first comment on an article of mine
Do you have a coin with your Western Zodiac on it?

Clinker

P.S. Also want to thank you for the "Post of the Week" nomination...

kanga

I don't believe in astrology and its associated features.
BUT
Sometimes I wonder.

Turns out a Snake (me) is compatible with my wife's animal (Rooster).
And to top it off Capricorn (me) is most compatible with Virgo (wife).
And we've been married 40 years.
Scary!

__________________
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APS Member
ARA Member
Be yourself ... everyone else is already taken.