...China - 20 Yuan 蛇年 Commemorative Year of the Snake 2025 萬家慶豐年

  中华人民共和国

(中華人民共和國)

(Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó)

(People's Republic of China)

中国人民银行 (中國人民銀行)

(Zhōngguó Rénmín Yínháng / People's Bank of China)

Currency : Renminbi 人民币 (CNY)

 

蛇🐍年

29 January 2025 to 17 February 2026 (384 days)

 

On 09.01.2024, China issued the first of the 12 commemorative notes celebrating the Chinese New Year Zodiac series - the Year of the Dragon. On 03.01.2025, the central bank released the second note of the new year series celebrating the Year of the Snake.

 

It is unclear when the origins of the Chinese zodiac system first started, but it is believed this tradition was first established during the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). 

 

The Year of the Snake commences on 29.01.2025 and will end on 17.02.2026. In total, there are 384 days for the Year of the Snake and this is because it is a leap year in the Chinese calendar (13 months). People who are born in the Year of the Snake are said to be wise, enigmatic, and sympathetic. Are there any politicians born in the Year of the Snake?

In China, the new year public holidays commencing from 28.01.2025 to 03.02.2025, and as the tradition goes, many people who are working away from their hometown will be traveling back to their home to have a family reunion dinner on new year eve and welcome the new year with family and friends the next day. 

 

The theme design for this note is similar to the 2024 Dragon note. Both notes are printed with a Zodiac animal respectively and on the back featuring three children welcoming the new year. Whilst the format is the same, one most noticeable difference is the denomination value (20贰拾圆) on the from. For this series, it is printed on the left, instead on the right. This note is printed with a "J" prefix, followed by 9 digits. Traditionally, the prefix "J" is reserved for all commemorative banknote series. It is also believed that only one letter prefix is printed. Like the first series of the Dragon note, this Snake note is also printed in vertical format on the front and back, and maintains some of the features of the Dragon note. Also as this note is for the celebration of the Year of the Snake, the artistic/ancient word "Fu" (福) on the bottom transparent window, which can be seen on either side of the note has also been altered. The word 福 is made out from two symbols. The left symbol of "礻" has been modified to look like an image of a snake, just like the 2024 Dragon note.  

 

A total of 100 million pieces were issued for this series, and all sold out. These notes were sold at face value via online application, and all sold out within minutes. Each person is allowed to purchase up to 20 pieces. Despite such restrictions, there are people selling them with stock in excess of 20 pieces. Given such a high demand, I wonder if any of these ended up in red packets? Traditionally, giving out cash is still the preferred option then buying gifts for the new year celebration. Cash is (always) king!

After this, ten more to go!

Twenty Yuan

 

Signature - Bank square seal

Date - 2025年

Quantity - 100 million pieces

Dimensions - 70mm x 145mm

 

Front - An image of an embroidered snake in red, green and black colours in a coiled up position. I am not sure if there is any meaning to this or just an artist's impression. On the head of the snake is an image of a flying bat and a heart/fan shape pattern at the end of the snake's tail. In ancient China, bats (蝙蝠) were considered auspicious, and were often used in patterns to represent good fortune and longevity. To the Chinese, the second word 蝠 (fu) is homophonous with the Chinese word for 'blessing; good fortune; and bliss'. Also the snake is holding an object in it's mouth, and I have been told by a collector that it is a Ganoderma, a kind of mushroom (Lingzhi in Chinese). It is believed in Chinese culture, symbolising divine power and longevity. The Chinese Coat of Arms is printed on the top left corner. Generally speaking, the design for this note is not overcrowded nor incorporated with other features other than those intended for this festive celebration. The predominately colour for this note is red, which is always associated with auspicious occasions, such as new year celebration, weddings, birthdays, birth of a child or any occasions that would bring a smile to their faces.  

 

Back - Three children putting up an auspicious Spring Festival couplet. Whilst the boy in the middle is holding up the couplet, the girl to his left is holding up a bowl of glue (presumably) and to his right is a boy handing out a brush to apply the glue onto the wall. I believe the five characters written on the couplet are - 萬家慶豐年 (Thousand families celebrating new year). Traditionally, couplets with various auspicious words are hung around the house during the new year celebration. Here are some of Cantonese popular couplets - 新年快樂, 入出安全, 老少平安, 大吉大利, 年年有餘, 龍馬精神 and if you are self employed - 生意興隆 which I think is the most important one, and so on. Of course there are no limitations to what you can put up and it's only up to your own imaginations. In the background are residential buildings from Shanxi Province in central north China (near Beijing).

 

rat  ox  tiger  rabbit  dragon  SNAKE  horse  goat  monkey  rooster  dog  pig