Years of the Rabbit: 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927, 1915 or 1903
Highlights:
Struck in 99.99% pure silver with a proof finish.
Coin design:
A distinctly Asian interpretation of the good-hearted rabbit with clouds
of good fortune and the Chinese character for this lunar sign.
2011 is ruled by the Rabbit.
In the West, New Year is driven by the calendar and
always falls on January 1st. The Chinese New Year is
different. It’s determined by the lunar calendar that was
introduced by Emperor Huang Ti in 2637 BC to identify
the first day of spring, a critical time for agriculture. This
is why the Chinese New Year is also referred to as the
Spring Festival.
The Spring Festival is celebrated roughly 45 days after
the winter solstice. It occurs on the first new moon after
the inception of spring; the midpoint between the winter
solstice (December 21 or 22) and the spring equinox
(March 20 or 21). This results in a year-to-year variation
that means the Year of the Rabbit actually begins on
February 3, 2011.
The Rabbit is considered very fortunate—a gracious
character that would appreciate receiving either of these
beautiful coins as a gift.
9999
