samedi 11 janvier 2014

The Value Of The Year Of The Dragon Silver Coin

By Marissa Velazquez


The last Year of the Dragon began on January 23, 2012 and ended on February 9, 2013. More than one Year of the Dragon silver coin was minted in commemoration of the occasion. This particular segment of the Chinese zodiac is said to be special. People born under this sign in countries that use it are said to be lucky and to have desirable characteristics. The birth rate in these countries undergoes an increase during these years.

The animals of the Chinese zodiac are broken down into water, earth, fire and air. The year 2012 was the year of the water dragon. Some researchers believe that this element is actually a scorpion and at one time represented the star Antares. Antares is a red supergiant star in the Milky Way Galaxy.

The Chinese zodiac is particularly popular in certain countries in East Asia, such as Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea, Japan and China. While the western zodiac relates to specific constellations, the Chinese zodiac is based on 12 animals. These are: dragon, horse, rat, ox, tiger, snake, rooster, monkey, dog, pig, snake and monkey. Another key difference is that the Chinese zodiac cycles once every 12 years, whereas the western horoscope cycles once every 12 months.

Every sign has both positive and negative characteristics. While dragons can be tactless, dogmatic, arrogant, officious and easily angered, they are also noble, vivacious, confident, dignified, courteous and passionate. They may also be vulnerable to ailments like migraines, diabetes and high blood pressure. Noteworthy dragons have included Bruce Lee, Joan d'Arc, John Lennon and the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar.

Year of the dragon silver coins may be a great investment or you can collect them just for the fun of it. Coins are minted in Australia, France, Canada and other countries in addition to countries that use the Chinese calendar. A very old 1890s piece, originally valued at 20 cents is now worth more than 300 times that. These items make novel presents for children and grandchildren and, looked after carefully, they can increase in value over many years.

Of course, other signs of the Chinese zodiac are represented as well. France has acquired the habit of minting Chinese zodiac coins in the amount of five Euros. In 2012, it was the dragon, in 2011, the rabbit and in 2010 it was the tiger.

As with any commemorative coinage, if you are planning to invest, whether as a casual collector or for the long-term future, it pays to be able to separate the real from the fake. Fake versions of an Australian piece from 2012 are on the market. These can be distinguished from the real version in several ways. Before purchasing any such item, it pays to do your homework.

On one side of the year of the dragon silver coin, the swirls in the clouds are more visible than on the fake version; the claws on the fake are smooth, instead of scaled. The text on the real coin is thicker and the detail is more defined on the genuine article. On the Queen side, she appears to be smiling on the fake version; she is not smiling on the real version. The real deal shows wrinkles on her forehead, while the counterfeit version does not. The fake version also gives the British monarch a sharper nose.




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