The People’s Bank of China has released another series of gold and silver commemorative coins dedicated to the classical Chinese novel known as the Outlaws of the Marsh. The coins feature reverse designs colorized to showcase the famous outlaws and some of the deeds they committed.
The third series of the Outlaws of the Marsh commemorative coins includes three in 99.9% pure gold and four in 99.9% pure silver. All feature extremely limited mintages and are available now through authorized People’s Bank of China distributors.
Outlaws of the Marsh is considered one of the four classical novels of Chinese Literature. It is also known by the titles of Water Margin, All Men Are Brothers, Men of the Marshes, or The Marshes of Mount Liang and tells the story of a band of 108 outlaws who created an army only to eventually come under the service of the government to fight rebels and foreign invaders.
Their exploits in the 14th century novel are loved by many despite the age and length of the writing. A recent translation of the stories resulted in three volumes and 1,605 pages showcasing the heroic work of the outlaws.
The seven coins issued in the set are listed below along with their sizes and maximum mintages:
Chinese Outlaws of the Marsh Commemorative Coins
| DESIGN | FACE VALUE | COMPOSITION | SHAPE | SIZE | MAXIMUM MINTAGE |
| Mastermind Wu | 150 Yuan | 1/3 oz .999 Gold | Round | 23mm | 35,000 |
| Guan Sheng Hu Yanzhuo | 2,000 Yuan | 5 oz .999 Gold | Rectangular | 64mm x 40mm | 900 |
| Qiju Zhong Yi Tong | 10,000 Yuan | 1 kg .999 Gold | Round | 90mm | 200 |
| Little Li Guang Hua Rong | 10 Yuan | 1 oz .999 Silver | Round | 40mm | 70,000 |
| Black Whirlwind Li Kui | 10 Yuan | 1 oz .999 Silver | Round | 40mm | 70,000 |
| Yanqing Zhi flutter Optimus Prime | 50 Yuan | 5 oz .999 Silver | Rectangular | 80mm x 50mm | 12,000 |
| Qiju Zhong Yi Tong | 300 Yuan | 1 kg .999 Silver | Round | 100mm | 10,000 |
Each of the seven coins feature face values, content, weight and purity guaranteed by the People’s Republic of China.
Shown on the obverse of each coin is the People’s Republic of China National Emblem. Obverse inscriptions indicate that country of origin.
The first set released in the series appeared with 2009-dated strikes and was followed with the second set of 2010-dated releases. Like the current issues, these previous commemorative coins were composed of gold and silver and struck in both round and rectangular varieties.
The new 2011-dated coins are available through authorized distributors of China Gold Coin Incorporation, a branch of the People’s Bank of China. Each coin ships in its own box and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
About the People’s Bank of China
The People’s Bank of China (www.pbc.gov.cn) is the central bank of the People’s Republic of China. Its primary duty is to control the monetary policy of the nation and to regulate domestic financial institutions. It is also responsible for the currency and coin production of the nation as well as the distribution of such.
The People’s Bank of China also operates several branch agencies including minting facilities and distribution partnerships.
Why did People’s Republic of China stop minting Chinese Outlaws of Marsh Commemorative Coins? They think these are boring or the government thought that these coins is about criminals being admired by being on coins?
Maybe they should mint coins commemorating Chinese Outlaws Counterfeiting Other Country’s Coins? God help you if you counterfeit PRC coins.