NGC Provides Expert Grading and Encapsulation for Oversized Coins

Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®) is honored to have certified two oversized gold coins that are part of the set issued by China in 2021 to commemorate the Year of the Ox. The coins were submitted to NGC by Macau coin collector C.S. Wong.

The China 2021 10-kilogram Year of the Ox has a face value of 100,000 Yuan (about $15,700). It features the national emblem on the obverse, while on the reverse there is a highly stylized representation of an ox that honors its connection to agriculture as well as to the zodiac. Only 18 of the coins were made available. NGC graded the coin NGC PF 70 Ultra Cameo, which is the highest rating a coin can receive.

China 2021 10-kilogram Gold 100,000 Yuan Lunar Series – Ox graded NGC PF 70 Ultra Cameo. Click images to enlarge.

NGC also certified a China 2021 2-kilogram Year of the Ox coin with a face value of 20,000 Yuan (about $3,100). It features China’s national emblem on the obverse with a realistic representation of the head of an ox on the reverse. NGC graded the coin NGC PF 69 Ultra Cameo.

China 2021 2-Kilogram Gold 20,000 Yuan Lunar Series - Ox, graded NGC PF 69 Ultra Cameo Click images to enlarge.

Issued annually and featuring the animals of the Chinese zodiac, the Lunar Series coins have become a favorite of numismatists around the world. A wide variety of nations have minted coins to celebrate the event. Often, the coins are issued in gold and silver varieties, with some of the more elaborate designs involving color printing and inset gems.

China, which began issuing the coins in 1981, typically mints a set of coins each year that includes both gold and silver varieties in several shapes and sizes. For 2021, the Year of the Ox, China released a set of nine gold and six silver coins. The set includes coins with color printing, as well as coins that are square-shaped, fan-shaped and blossom-shaped.

NGC has certified many coins belonging to Mr. Wong, including his large Year of the Rat coins in 2020. You can learn more about Lunar New Year coins here and here.

NGC’s Oversize and Mega Holders provide secure encapsulation for oversized coins such as China’s large-denomination Lunar New Year coins. The NGC Mega Holder accommodates coins and medals up to 180 mm (7.1 inches) in diameter and 28 mm (1.1 inches) in thickness. The NGC Oversize Holder comes in two sizes, a regular size accommodating most coins up to 101.5 mm in diameter and 25 mm in thickness and a large size accommodating most coins up to 120 mm in diameter and 15 mm in thickness. More information on NGC’s coin holder options can be found here.

The popularity of the Lunar New Year coins can be attributed in part to the fact that each series renews every 12 years, making it relatively easy for collectors to obtain coins representing each year in a series. Coins released for 2022 commemorate the Year of the Tiger. In November 2021, China released a set of eight gold and five silver coins that include oversized varieties.

NGC has a special label for the Year of the Tiger coins. To learn more, click here.