2018 China Silver Phoenix & Dragon NGC Gem Proof First Releases 2pc Set

Symbolic and Historic – A First from China's Shanghai Mint

When one looks 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 1,000 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 creatures are the geneses of Yin and Yang. Together they make the perfect subjects for this first (and perhaps LAST) commemorative of its kind!

Why the last? 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. You could be ordering not only a pair of the first, but also the LAST Phoenix and Dragon Cash Coin-Style Proofs ever released by the Shanghai Mint!

For this offer, we’ve combined the edition’s 1- and 2-oz silver pieces into one exciting two-piece set. Besides their artistry, beauty and silver content, what makes these sets even more fabulous is that each proof has been graded by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) to be in Gem Proof First Release (GEM PF FR) condition. That means your proofs have been guaranteed to have been struck and received by NGC during the first 30 days of their release!

• 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 the fascinating designs on these proofs

• . . . TOGETHER WITH A FAMILIAR SIGHT! – Flip these proofs 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 obverse with the date, weight and silver content.

• PROOF-STRUCK IN HIGHLY PURE SILVER – Founded nearly a century ago, the Shanghai Mint was the first mint established by China's government. Naturally, that history has developed some of the world's most talented artisans 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 – Each medal in your 2018 China Silver Phoenix & Dragon 2-Piece Set will be accompanied by an official and individually numbered certificate of authenticity from the Shanghai Mint.

• THE FIRST . . . AND LAST? – These 2018 commemoratives have extremely low mintages – just to 5,000 of the 1-oz piece and only 2,000 for the 2-oz piece – but that doesn't tell the whole story. With China’s recent decision to production of all non-legal tender commemoratives, these could be the LAST Phoenix and Dragon Cash Coin-Style Proof Sets 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 2-Piece Set 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 Set now!