A must-see event featuring highlights from the commemorative coin and medal collection of the Shanghai Mint.
For the first time, highlights from the commemorative coin and medal collection of the Shanghai Mint Museum will be showcased in London at the former Royal Mint. Titled COINect, the exhibition will explore Chinese culture and creativity over the past two centuries through the art of coin design. The temporary exhibition, which is free to visit with a pre-booked ticket, will be open from 8 to 14 June.
The exhibition is part of Our Water, a cultural exchange programme that explores the relationship between water and urban life in Shanghai and other global cities. Dr. Pearl Haoqing Wang, curator of COINect, said: “We are pleased to present highlights from the Shanghai Mint Museum outside of China for the first time. Rather than focusing on monetary value, the exhibition explores how coins and medals serve as commemorative artifacts and historical records. As physical currency becomes less central to daily life, coins increasingly preserve and reflect collective memory, cultural values, and shared histories.’
Exhibition Highlights
The 105 sets of coins and medals on display will be arranged across twelve themed cases, focusing on different elements of Chinese culture, heritage and history, spanning from ancient times to the modern era. Among them is Sheng Role - Chinese Peking Opera Art, which won the Best Circulating Coin of the 41st Coin of the Year COTY Awards in 2024.
The exhibition will open with a series of intricate commemorative medals created between 1998 and 2010, depicting the twelve animals of the Zodiac - the first complete set to represent the entire zodiac cycle.
The exhibition will also celebrate Chinaʼs unique natural heritage and include coins depicting some of the country’s rare and iconic wildlife, such as the giant panda, South China tiger, Baiji dolphin, and Yangtze alligator, as well as representations of five national parks.
There will also be a display of coins that underscore Chinas global cultural connections and coins that explore cross-cultural dialogue, such as the bicentenary of Hans Christian Andersen. The exhibition will feature interactive displays that demonstrate various aspects of coin production, including a digital ‘wish pool,’ DIY zodiac coin design, Chinese character learning from coins, and public voting for the Our Water – UK-China Youth Coin Design Competition.
Don't miss this unique cultural journey, a must-see event on view for one week only!
The exhibition is FREE, but visitors are required to book their tickets through the link HERE.
COINect: Chinese Culture and Creativity: 8 June - 14 June 2025
Location: Former Royal Mint, London, EC3N 4AB