A woman holds two Year of the Rabbit coins from the central bank at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Mei-ying, Taipei Times

/ Staff writer, with CNA

The central bank is to issue 90,000 sets of commemorative coins ahead of the start of the Year of the Rabbit, Department of Issuance Director-General Teng Yen-ta (Deng Yanda) told a news conference yesterday.

Each set, to be sold for NT$1,800, consists of a one-ounce silver coin with a face value of NT$100 and a copper alloy coin with a face value of NT$10, Teng said.

The obverse face of the silver coin features a gilded image of a rabbit, while the reverse side depicts the ceremony of Confucius performed at the Taipei Confucius Temple, he said.

The copper alloy coin features a rabbit totem on the front and a partially colored chrysanthemum on the back.

Collectors can preorder the coins online from Monday next week to Dec. 21 or purchase them at Bank of Taiwan (Taiwan Bank) branches, which has been designated to handle the sale of the commemorative coins, starting on Jan. 4, Teng said.

A total of 45,000 sets are to be made available for either online or in-person buyers on a first come, first served basis, he said.

Online buyers are limited to a single order and a maximum of 10 sets, while up to two sets are allowed for in-person buyers per purchase, he added.

News source: TAIPEI TIMES