SPECIFICATION

FACE VALUE WEIGHT DIAMETER QUALITY MINTAGE £2 GBP 31.21 g 38.61 mm PROOF 9,888 £10 GBP 156.295 g 65.00 mm PROOF 1,088 £2 GBP 31.21 g 38.61 mm GILDED 4,888

PRESS RELEASE

The Royal Mint has revealed its coin designs for the Lunar Year of the Sheep, an event that has been eagerly anticipated since the release of the 2014 Year of the Horse coins last year – the first time that Lunar coins had been produced specifically for the United Kingdom.

Known as the Shēngxiào (or Chinese zodiac) Collection, The Royal Mint’s Lunar coin series reflects the Shēngxiào tradition, linking each year to one of 12 animals, with the animal traits attributed to those born in a given Lunar year. Celebrated annually in February, it is a time during which it is traditional to exchange tokens and, in particular, gifts of money in red envelopes, symbolising good wishes for the recipient’s health, wealth and prosperity.

British Chinese artist and printmaker Wuon-Gean Ho, who designed the 2014 Year of the Horse coin for The Royal Mint, continues the collection with a design that once again combines both British and Chinese heritage. The Year of the Sheep coin is the second in this auspicious series, and its design reflects characteristics of those born in the year of the sheep: freedom-loving with a passion for company.

Shane Bissett, Director of Commemorative Coin at The Royal Mint said: “Following on from the hugely popular Year of the Horse coins range, of which three quarters were sold out in the first few months, The Royal Mint is happy to be bringing its craftsmanship and artistic skills to this latest coin in the Shēngxiào Collection. Supporting the centuries-old tradition of giving zodiac coins at the Lunar New Year, we’re expecting to see similar demand this year for Wuon Gean’s stunning design.”

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Wuon-Gean Ho is an artist of Chinese descent, born in the UK. She created the reverse design for the first Lunar coin from The Royal Mint, struck for the Year of the Horse, and has once again blended Chinese and British heritage in her latest design for the Year of the Sheep. Wuon-Gean works in many disciplines including printmaking, animation and books and has work in collections including the Tate and the Victoria and Albert Museum. After graduating from Cambridge University with a degree in the History of Art and a professional licence as a veterinary surgeon Wuon-Gean took up a Japanese Government Scholarship in 1998 to study woodblock printmaking in Japan.

For the Lunar Year of the Sheep design, Wuon-Gean was inspired by her veterinary experience and memories of the lambing season. She worked in shifts with hours of waiting before periods of busy and rewarding work, seeing new lambs come into the world and watching the mother and child bond. She recalls observing sheep as part of the British landscape – in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, on the hillsides of the Peak district and in the rolling Brecon Beacons – their presence part of British life.

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