Empire of Silver - New China Movie about Silver and Paper Money

THERE'S scope for an intriguing film about China at the end of the 19th century from the perspective of one of the nation's leading banks.

But in the hands of first-time Taiwanese-American director Christina Yao, this sluggish, uninvolving soap opera hardly resonates with the present as it ought to.

With the Chinese economy in tumult, the pragmatic banker Master Kang (Zhang Tielin) is bent on preserving his family's financial empire.

There is no love lost between him and his heir apparent, Third Master (Aaron Kwok), given Third Master's passion for the woman (Hao Lei) who becomes Kang's second wife.

There's a great deal more to the story: the fate of Third Master's three brothers, the change to ''paper money'' in place of silver, and a random attack by digitally generated wolves. Other subplots are introduced, then dropped: it's hard to account for the fleeting presence of Jennifer Tilly as a missionary, unless this is supposed to make the film more marketable in the US. Ultimately, the clash between father and son is resolved in an unsatisfying, evasive manner that virtually erases much of what has gone before.

The film depends heavily throughout on voiceover narration by a later member of the dynasty, who seems mysteriously well-informed about events that occurred before he was born. As a result, there is rarely much suspense or narrative momentum.

Nor does Yao overcome a blandly decorative style, in which the camera rises and falls with stately regularity and most interiors are bathed in golden light.

(M) Cinema Nova (113 minutes)

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2012 1oz Silver Feng Shui – Koi .999 With Presentation Box - New Zealand Mint

Metal 999 Silver with coloured Features

Finish Proof

Diameter 40.7mm

Edge Milled Milled

Denomination NZ $2

Year of Issue 2012

Mintage 8000

 

About the Coin

In Chinese Tradition Koi are symbolic of unity and fidelity as it is noted that fish (particularly koi) often swim together in pairs. With this in mind, Koi are often given as wedding gifts in the form of charms or figurines to present the newly-wed couple with an au ious sign of fidelity and perfect union. They also represent fertility and abundance due to their ability to reproduce in speed and volume.
This unique pure .999 silver coin depicts the Koi fish and is limited to 8,000 coin sets only.

Reverse Design

This features an image of 2 Koi swimming. Background is delicate Cherry Blossoms.

Obverse Design

The Raphael Maklouf effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, sovereign of the Commonwealth and Niue.

Packaging

Each set is presented in a custom made Chinese Lacquer Box with Outer Box with ornate Chinese design. A certificate of authenticity comes with each set.

For information on travel and tourism in Niue please visit www.niueisland.com

2012 1oz Silver Feng Shui – Koi .999 With Presentation Box - New Zealand Mint

Silver Chinese Dragon Coin - Hu-Peh Province

The authentic Chinese Dragon coin listed on this page has been made during the Qing Dynasty which was present in China from the year 1644 until 1911. This dragon coin, or dragon dollar as some call it also, has been struck somewhere between 1909 - 1911 in the Hubei Province which is situated in the center of China. The Hubei province is surrounded by Henan province to the north, Jiangxi and Hunan province to the south, Anhui province to the east, Sichuan province to the west and Shaanxi province to the northwest. Some Silver Chinese Dragon Coin facts. Mintage: Circulation strikes: 2,703,000. Composition: Silver .7814 Oz. Weight: 7 Mace and 2 Candareen. Mintmark: Hu-Peh Province. Here below are the images from an authentic Chinese silver dragon coin and a cheap counterfeit dragon coin, both from the Hu-Peh province in China.
Authentic Silver Dragon Dollar	Counterfeit Chinese Dragon Dollar
(7 Mace and 2 Candareen)	(7 Mace and 2 Candareen)
Obverse Side	Obverse Side
When comparing both Chinese dragon coins the following differences are easy to see on the counterfeit coin and not on the authentic silver dragon coin. The numbers are not identical, see the number 2 who is bigger. The letters are not the same and more fat than on the authentic coin. The dragon has far less details, and some are even missing (center). The letter and numbers are more to the edge of the dragon coin.
Authentic Chinese Dragon Coin	Counterfeit Chinese Dragon Coin
Reverse Side	Reverse Side
The reverse side of the counterfeit dragon dollar shows another Chinese text, but as there are many dragon coins with different signs on it, this is not the right way to identify these coins as a counterfeit Chinese dragon dollar. What is clear to see when comparing these two pictures is the thickness of the Chinese letters on the counterfeit that does not match the authentic silver dragon coin.

Info pulled from

The People's Bank of China 2009 Panda Silver Brilliant Uncirculated legal tender coins.

Every year excitement and buzz builds surrounding the design of the new Panda coin, and this year has been no exception. The beautiful designs of the 2009 Panda Silver coins have made the wait worthwhile. These coins are 99.9% pure silver - and are now available to collectors who are assembling date sets, and to silver bullion buyers who expect a continuation of the current desire for silver in the market.

The 2009 Panda coins keep the traditional obverse design that has been the hallmark of this great series, featuring the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, the title of the People's Republic of China, and the year of issuance. The reverse design features 2 baby pandas, sitting and eating in a field of bamboo. The face value of 10 Yuan & purity level of 99.9% are also prominently displayed on the bottom of the reverse.

The 1-ounce Silver Pandas from 2009 are issued with a maximum authorized mintage of 600,000. Click here to view & buy these coins for only $27!!