China to issue Year of the Rabbit commemorative coins

BEIJING, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- China's central bank will issue a set of gold and silver commemorative coins on Nov. 18 to celebrate the Chinese zodiac Year of the Rabbit.

The set consists of eight gold and five silver coins, all of which will be legal tender in China, the People's Bank of China said in an online statement.

The obverse sides of the coins bear China's national emblem, along with the country name and year of issuance, decorated with traditional Chinese patterns that represent auspiciousness.

The reverse sides of the 13 coins feature various images of rabbits, decorated with elements including the moon, auspicious clouds, and the lotus.

The Chinese zodiac cycle contains 12 animals that record years and reflect people's attributes: the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the rooster, the dog, and the pig.