Modern coins of Taiwan

[NewHikaru089]

This brings the topic of modern coins of Taiwan as thorough and up to date.

[NewHikaru089]

Coins of Taiwan use both the AD date and the Chinese republican calendar, which references the year the republic was first founded.

1912, the year of the republic was founded, starts at Year 1. An example of the calendar can be seen on this coin.

(Image courtesy of Numista)

This coin is dual dated, in both the AD date and the Chinese republican calendar. This coin was issued in 2003, which then translates as Year 92 after the republic was founded in 1912.

[<k>]

Some interesting coins here, but the designs are looking rather old-fashioned now.

A new design series is needed.

[Figleaf]

To Taiwan, the most important thing in coin design is to have coins in circulation that look better (in Chinese eyes) than those of mainland China. This also means that the designs chosen for circulation coins are conservative, because Chinese art taste is quite conservative.

The use of symbols underline this competition. Apart from national heroes, monuments and buildings, two symbols are frequently used. One is the usually stylised 5-petalled Chinese plum blossom, 梅花 (Mei Hua), the national flower. Therefore, it symbolises the country, the state and the island of Taiwan.

The other is the orchid. It not only has a simple and elegant style, a dignified face, but also a fragrant smell. Chinese people on both sides of the Straits regard orchids as a symbol of nobility, patriotism and constancy both as general and personal traits, so if there is a portrait on the same coin, its message is that the person portrayed has the qualities of the orchid.

Coins of Taiwan use both the AD date and the Chinese republican calendar, which references the year the republic was first founded.

Chinese, Japanese and Korean coins use the same characters for the numbers. Unlike in Japan, the date notation is westernised, so it is not difficult to come up with the date and denomination.

Peter

[coinote]

The coins in daily circulation are $1,$5,$10(two types) and $50(only 2002 onwards), $1/2 was phased out many years ago and $20 is rarely seen