Lunar New Year Coins

I had the opportunity to submit design concepts for the Royal Canadian Mint’s Lunar New Year series. To my delight, my design was selected as the finalist amongst many talented designers for the year of the Tiger. This project is very dear to my heart because my cultural and visual art background take a big part in influencing the works I create. 

The coin design features a stylized depiction of a cloth tiger, a popular form of Chinese folk art that is often gifted to children as a blessing for prosperity. The tiger is a symbol of courage and power, and it is also intended to ward off evil. Its big eyes, grinning mouth and prominent head give it an air of innocence and playfulness, while the markings on its forehead form the Chinese character for “King”. The stamp marking on the left includes the Chinese character for “Tiger”.

The next coin in the series is the year of the Rabbit. This design is inspired by the legend of the Jade (Moon) Rabbit. It features the same folk art style seen on the fine silver 2022 Lunar Year of the Tiger coin. The gentle and good-natured Rabbit (“兔”) is seen leaping over a new crescent moon that symbolizes new beginnings.