Coin | Gold Ounce 2019 Lunar Ounce - Year of the Pig |
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The Rwandan Franc was introduced as the currency of Rwanda in 1964. Apart from its regular circulating coinage, the country has also authorised some foreign mints to issue coins under its jurisdiction, which come in a variety of sizes - including in the internationally popular gold ounce (1 oz gold) format, denominated usually as 100 Francs. Like any bullion coin though, their actual value is unrelated to the face value, and is based primarily on the metal content and the spot price of that metal on the commodities markets.
This coin is part of the Rwandan Lunar Ounce series dedicated to the Chinese Zodiac, and marks the 2019 Year of the Pig (5 February 2019 - 24 January 2020).
The Pig (豬) or sometimes translated as the Boar is the twelfth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in Chinese zodiac, in relation to the Chinese calendar and system of horology, and paralleling the system of ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches.
In Chinese astrology, "zodiacal" animals refer to fixed cycles of twelve animals. The same cycle of twelve is used for cycles of years and cycles of hours. In the case of years, the cycle of twelve corresponds to the twelve-year cycle of Jupiter. In the case of the hours, the twelve hours represent twelve double-hours for each period of night and day. In the continuous sexagenary cycle of sixty years, every twelfth year corresponds to hai, 亥 (the twelfth of the twelve Earthly Branches); this re-recurring twelfth year is commonly called the Year of the Pig (豬年). |
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Obverse | |
Within a plain rim, the obverse of the coin features the Coat of Arms of Rwanda. At its centre is a traditional basket, surrounded by the central tribal devices: a stem of sorghum on the left, and a branch of a coffee tree on the right, surmounted on a cog wheel with the sun with its rays above. These are protected by two typical Rwandan shields, one on the right and one on the left. The design is encircled by a rope, tied below in a square knot.
On a ribbon above, REPUBULIKA Y'U RWANDA (Republic of Rwanda); on a ribbon below, the motto UBUMWE · UMURIMO · GUKUNDA IGIHUGU (Unity, Work, Patriotism in Kinyarwanda - the official Rwandan language).
Around above, the name of the issuing authority: BANKI NKURU Y'U RWANDA (National Bank of Rwanda; in French: Banque Nationale du Rwanda; abbreviated as BNR).
Around below, the face value AMAFARANGA 100 IJANA (100 FRW - one hundred Rwandan Francs). |
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Reverse | |
The reverse design depicts a pig with her piglets, in a "stained glass" mosaic style common to all coins in the series.
Inscribed within an octagon above, the Traditional Chinese character for pig: 豬. Below the pig and on the left, YEAR OF THE PIG.
Around left, the name of the coin series: LUNAR OUNCE.
Around above right, the date of issue 2019. Around below right, facing outward, the precious metal content: 1 oz FINE GOLD 999 (one troy ounce of 99.9% gold). |
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Reverse Inscription |
豬 YEAR OF THE PIG LUNAR OUNCE 2019 1 oz FINE GOLD 999 |
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Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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Notes | Finish: bullion (Brilliant Uncirculated). Packaging: in plastic capsule and leatherette pouch, with a Certificate of Authenticity branded with BNR (National Bank of Rwanda). |
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See also |
Coins in the Rwandan Lunar Ounce series include: - 1 oz Gold, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Rooster, 2017 - 1 oz Silver, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Rooster, 2017 - 1 oz Gold, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Dog, 2018 - 1 oz Silver, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Dog, 2018 - 1 oz Gold, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Pig, 2019 - 1 oz Silver, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Pig, 2019 - 1 oz Gold, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Rat, 2020 - 1 oz Silver, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Rat, 2020 - 1 oz Platinum, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Ox, 2021 - 1 oz Gold, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Ox, 2021 - 1 oz Silver, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Ox, 2021 - 1 oz Platinum, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Tiger, 2022 - 1 oz Gold, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Tiger, 2022 - 1 oz Silver, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Tiger, 2022 - 1 oz Platinum, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Rabbit, 2023 - 1 oz Gold, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Rabbit, 2023 - 1 oz Silver, Lunar Ounce - Year of the Rabbit, 2023
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