Innovative Silver Coins Celebrate 2011 Chinese Lunar Year of the Rabbit

Struck at The Mint of Finland and released by the authority of the Fijian government as legal tender, these eye-catching silver coins have been struck in uniquely innovative ways to celebrate 2011 as the Chinese Lunar Year of the Rabbit. They are part of a series of coins issued for the Chinese Zodiac, which started in 2010 with the Year of the Tiger coins.


Fiji 2011 $1 Filigree Lunar Rabbit Silver Proof

Due for release in late November 2010 is the world's first Silver Coin created using the fine jewellers art known as filigree. Entitled "Cabbage Garden Rabbit", the crown-sized coin is struck from 20.5 grams of 99.9% fine silver. It features at its centre a stylised Rabbit design created with the filigree technique using twisted threads of silver. This technique, used in a wide variety of cultures since Ancient times to create objects of beauty, gives a lacey appearance to the Rabbit motif. Framing the central design on the reverse are cabbage leaves and the inscription for the Year of the Rabbit, while on the obverse is the effigy of Queen Elizabeth, the country and year of issue and the nominal face value.

The Cabbage Garden Rabbit coin was designed by Hannu Veijalainen of The Mint of Finland and has been struck to the highest quality Proof standards. Each Fiji 2011 $1 Filigree Lunar Rabbit Silver Proof is presented in an official jewel case with Certificate of Authenticity confirming the exclusive worldwide mintage of just 6000 silver coins!

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Released at the same time as the Cabbage Garden Rabbit above is another highly innovative silver coin issue to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit. Incorporating a well-known aspect of Taoism, a part of Chinese Philosophy, The Mint of Finland have produced this eye-catching "Yin and Yang" silver coin enhanced with colour.


Fiji 2011 $1 Yin & Yang Lunar Rabbit Silver Proof Pair

Taking the fundamentals of Yin and Yang; how seemingly polar or contrary forces are interconnected in the natural world, this beautiful pair of coins celebrate the opposing Summer and Winter seasons of the Year of the Rabbit. Each coin is struck from 1 ounce (31.10 grams) of 99.9% fine silver measuring 29.11mm x 46.73mm and each shaped into half of the Yin and Yang symbol, so that when placed together the pair of coins make a circle resembling one single coin.

On the reverse of the Summer coin is a full-colour image of a Rabbit in warm tones, leaping through a field with a backdrop of flowers. The Winter Rabbit can be seen running through the snow, a variety of different-shaped snowflakes behind it. The obverses of each coin also reflect the Summer and Winter themes respectively, and carry the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, along with the country and year of issue, coin weight, purity and composition, and legal tender denomination.

This beautiful pair of silver coins was designed by Mint of Finland sculptor Erkki Vainio, and have been struck to the exact standard of proof quality by the Mint. The Fiji 2011 $1 Yin & Yang Lunar Rabbit Silver Proof Pair are encased in a single circular capsule and presented in an official jewel case, accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity which confirms the mintage of just 10,000 sets issued worldwide.