Commemorative Silver Coins Selling Like Hot Cakes
1999.12.22¡@2:34am Taiwan time updated
Taipei, Dec. 21 (CNA) Thousands of people around the island braved the chill of the latest cold front on Tuesday to try to get hold of one of the 100,000 silver coins struck to commemorate the new millennium.
The coins were reported to be selling like hot cakes, and only those who were very lucky and patient were able to lay hands on one.
The coins, issued by the Central Bank of China, are made of 99.9 percent silver, weigh 15.568 grams, have a diameter of 3.3 cm and a thickness of 0.225 cm.
One side of the coin features the celestial model created by ancient Chinese astrologers, and is dated the "88th year of the Republic of China," along with the inscription "ushering in 2000." The other side bears an illustration of a dragon which is both the symbol of ancient China and the sign of the Chinese zodiac for 2000.
As sales were limited to one coin per person at a cost of NT$750 (around US$23.7) each, many enthusiasts started to line up long before the Bank of Taiwan, which was commissioned by CBC to sell the coins, opened for business.
Liu Le-wei and his son Liu Yang-wu, who live in Los Angeles and returned here for a winter holiday, were the first to get hold of the coins, and the younger Liu said excitedly: "It will be the best souvenir for when I get married." Eight other members of the Liu family started to line up on Sunday night, using sleeping bags to keep warm and taking turns to eat, go to the restroom, and walk around.
But things promise to be a little easier early in the new year when the CBC has decided to hold draws for the rest of the year of the dragon commemorative coins.
chinatimes.com.tw
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