2018 China 1-oz Silver Phoenix & Dragon Proof

Symbolic and Historic -- a First from China's Shanghai Mint!

Looking at the remarkable ancient coins of East Asia, it's impossible not to notice that many have square holes in their centers. For these "cash coins," created in molds instead of stamped by dies, this clever feature had an extremely useful function. Instead of carrying your coins in a purse, you could simply thread a string through their centers. Tie 100, 300 or 1000 coins together and you had an easy way to count and transfer your wealth!

Here at GovMint.com, we love the artistry of these historic coins. That's why we teamed up with the legendary Shanghai Mint to introduce China's first ever silver cash coin-style commemorative proofs, featuring the celestial dragon and phoenix. Depicted in a dynamic design, these geneses of Yin and Yang make the perfect subjects for this first (and perhaps LAST) commemorative of its kind!

• A TIME-HONORED SYMBOL OF HARMONY . . .-- The masculine dragon of power, ambition and success paired with the feminine phoenix of prosperity, longevity and immortality has symbolized harmony and happiness for millennia. This timeless allegory is brought to vivid life with incredible detail through this proof's fascinating design.
• . . . TOGETHER WITH A FAMILIAR SIGHT!-- Flip this proof over, and you'll discover an image of the immortal Great Wall of China. Carving its way through the mountainside, this world-famous structure is accompanied on the commemorative's obverse with the proof's date, weight and content.
• PROOF-STRUCK IN HIGHLY PURE SILVER-- Founded nearly a century ago, the Shanghai Mint was the first coin manufacturer established by China's government. Naturally, that history has developed some of the world's most talented craftspeople in coin production today. Using polished dies and multiple strikes, hand-selected planchets of 99.9% fine silver are expertly transformed into lustrous proofs with frosted details and mirror-like fields.
• AN OFFICIAL SHANGHAI MINT RELEASE-- Your 1-oz Silver Phoenix and Dragon Commemorative Proof will arrive to you in a black velvet bag along with an official and individually numbered certificate of authenticity from the Shanghai Mint.
• THE FIRST . . . AND LAST? -- This 2018 commemorative has a mintage limited to 5,000 pieces -- but that doesn't tell the whole story. Recently, China's government ceased the production of all non-legal tender commemoratives. Fortunately, these Dragon and Phoenix Proofs were among the very last commemoratives to leave the country before the order was announced. Only time will tell if this decision is temporary or permanent. However, you could be ordering not only one of the first, but also one of the LAST Phoenix and Dragon Cash Coin-Style Proofs ever released by the Shanghai Mint!

With the news we mentioned above, you can bet that commemoratives like these have grabbed the attention of collectors around the world. On its own, this Dragon and Phoenix Proof makes an astounding addition to any collection as well as an amazing gift. But, with the spotlight now on commemoratives from China, the time to make it yours could be extremely short. Bring this piece of history home -- order your Dragon and Phoenix Proof now!