The Royal Mint unveils a one-of-a-kind 8kg gold coin to celebrate Chinese New Year

A uniquely titled 'Master Toolmaker' then hand works the coin, carefully papering and burnishing the surface of the metal to remove any marks made by the cutting process to elevate the finish of the design, before undergoing 100 hours of hand polishing. Finally, the 185mm coin is laser frosted for 50 hours using the latest picosecond laser technology, to selectively texture the surface giving it a matt finish showcasing the detail of the coin design.

The Lunar Year of the Tiger 8kg coin blends elements of traditional British design and craftsmanship with ancient Chinese culture. The coin design depicts the tiger face on, and its Chinese character positioned to the right. When inspecting the design closely, an additional Chinese character can be seen on the tiger's forehead. It represents the Chinese character for king – '王' – which is said to originate from the pattern on the tiger's head. The weight of the coin, 8kg, was selected due to the number 8 being considered the luckiest number in Chinese culture and one associated with wealth and prosperous.

Clare Maclennan, Divisional Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: "The Royal Mint began our Shēngxiào Collection in 2014, combining centuries of British craftsmanship and artistic skills with Chinese tradition – creating the first official UK Lunar coins. Ahead of Chinese New Year, we are thrilled to introduce the first ever 8kg coin as part of the collection celebrating the Year of the Tiger and the latest in our 'Masterworks' series which offer unique works of art for collectors, exclusively from The Royal Mint. The coin design is a beautiful fusion of British craftsmanship and Chinese tradition featuring the tiger prominently in the centre of the design."

The Royal Mint's Shēngxiào Collection is a celebration of the UK's diverse multi-cultural society, lending a unique British angle to this ancient custom.

In addition to the 8kg gold proof coin, The Lunar Year of the Tiger collectable coins are also available in a range of precious metals and base metal finishes from £13. Visit www.royalmint.com/lunar to view the full collection.

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