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The breath of the dragon

21 collectible items

A fiery collection!

Numismatics is very fond of symbols, and what better way to inaugurate a new year date than with the image of a creature famous the world over and originating from the world’s most populous country, China.

As with all ancient traditions, the origin of the Chinese zodiac is a myth that has been handed down from generation to generation.

While the very prosaic school of thought attributes the codification of Chinese astrology to the Yellow Emperor, Huangdi, in 2637 BC, legend holds more poetically that the Jade Emperor, Yudi, reigning over the gods, sent an immortal being to Earth to make 12 animals his personal bodyguards.

Their rank and order were determined by a race leading to the Celestial Gate.

First come, first served.

The animals arrived in the following order:

And so the 12-year cycle began.

Whereas the coins of 2023 featured the rabbit, in 2024 it is the turn of the noble and strong dragon (龍 lóng – 龙), symbolizing honor, luck, and success.

The Chinese New Year will be celebrated on February 10, 2024, and the fiery creature’s reign will end on January 28, 2025.

France Year of the Dragon

10 Euro, 2024, Monnaie de Paris, Silver, MS(65-70)

Quality N/A

€85

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To mark the occasion, we have compiled a selection of 21 collectible coins, medals and emergency money articles for you featuring dragons.

It includes two must-have coins issued in 2024 by the Monnaie de Paris. There are also classic bullion coins from the creature’s previous reign, among them a colorful Chinese example from 2012, which is well worth a look.

Also worth checking out is another legend on a coin – this Swiss example features the Dragon of Breno, which had the nasty habit of making the cattle in the canton of Ticino sick.

The medals, for the most part, naturally feature the legend of Saint George and the Dragon.

And for fantasy, always a little gritty and brightly colored, you can obviously count on the unmissable emergency banknotes of the 1920s from Germany and Austria…