Celebrating the unique identity of Macau under the influence of East and West culture, this new series of Lunar commemorative coins features the Chinese Almanac animals with a modern touch on the obverse and on the reverse, a different design each year that best represents Macau – the 12 selected heritage sites of Macau. These 12 selected heritage sites of Macau are located in the “The Historic Centre of Macau” which is inscribed in the World Heritage List by UNESCO. The ever-changing designs for both sides of the coins in this series combine the element of Chinese culture and heritage appeal to reflect the unique character of Macau!

The glory of the A-Ma Temple is immortalized on the reverse of the coins for the 2008 inaugural issue. A-Ma Temple already existed before the city of Macau came into being. When the Portuguese arrived in Macau in the early 1550s and asked the locals on the name of the country, the locals gave the name “Ma Gao” which is the name for A-Ma Temple instead. The Portuguese adopted the name which subsequently evolved into the name Macau. (more…)