China to issue commemorative coin featuring Peking Opera

BEIJING, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- China's central bank on Monday announced that it will issue a commemorative coin featuring Chinese Peking Opera art on Nov. 25.

The brass alloy coin has a denomination of five yuan (about 71 U.S. cents), and features the national emblem of the People's Republic of China and traditional Chinese opera instruments on its obverse side, according to the People's Bank of China. Below the national emblem is the 2025 year mark.

The reverse side of the commemorative coin indicates the coin's 5-yuan value and bears images of male painted-face roles from Peking Opera, a combination of colored patterns and decorative graphics, and the inscription of "Chinese Peking Opera Art" in Chinese characters, the central bank said.

It noted that 60 million of these coins will be issued.

Designated banks will handle purchase reservations from Nov. 18 to 19, and then proceed with exchange services from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1. ■