Expo coins take gold and silver

By Yang Jian  |   2009-6-10  |     ONLINE EDITION

THE People's Bank of China today issued one gold and two silver coins for the Shanghai World Expo.

The gold coin is 23 millimeters in diameter and contains a third of an ounce of gold. The silver coins are each 40 millimeters in diameter and contain an ounce of silver.

The face value of the gold coin is 150 yuan (US$21.95) and the silver coins are 10 yuan each.

The total retail price for the three coins is 4,343 yuan and the two silver coins can be bought for 780 yuan.

Retailers may adjust the price up or down by 10 percent, according to the hotline of the China Gold Coin Company, the major distributor for the coins.

The coins are available at more than 100 company shops across the country. Buyers outside China can purchase the coins from China Greatwall Coins Investments Ltd. Prospective buyers can call 4008-188-666 to order coins and an English language service is available.

The coins have the Shanghai Expo logo and the world on their obverse side. The gold coin has a Haibao, the Expo mascot, on the reverse. One of the silver coins has a dandelion and the other has a cityscape engraved on the reverse.