Over 100 (sets of) coins and medals from the Shanghai Mint Museumʼs collection will be
showcased in London from 8 to 14 June 2025
● Visitors will be able to view award-winning coin and medal designs that reflect Chinese history
and culture
● The exhibition will feature shortlisted designs for a new coin, with the winning entry produced
by 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. Following its
launch in Paris during the 2024 Summer Olympics, this yearʼs edition turns its focus to the
cultural ties between London and Shanghai, highlighting the shared heritage between the
former Royal Mint in London and the Shanghai Mint – two historic sites situated along significant
waterways: the River Thames in London and Suzhou Creek in Shanghai. Once a vital artery for
trade and shipping, the 21-kilometer waterfront of Suzhou Creek threads together Putuo
Districtʼs historical landmarks and cultural venues, including the M50 Creative Park and the
Shanghai Mint.
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.ˮ
Exhibition Highlights
The 105 sets of coins and medals on display, reflecting the 105-year history of the Shanghai
Mint, will be arranged across twelve themed cases. Produced after 1949, they focus 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. Chinaʼs cultural treasures will feature in a series of coins depicting the Great
Wall of China, the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and the Terracotta Warriors, the Classical
Gardens of Suzhou, and the Forbidden City from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In contrast,
another series of coins will recognise Chinese inventions and industry, from the compass,
gunpowder and paper to the countryʼs aerospace programme and highspeed trains.
The exhibition will also celebrate Chinaʼs unique natural heritage. Highlights include coins
depicting some of the countryʼs 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. These
coins offer a perspective on Chinaʼs rich natural landscapes, with designs that are noteworthy
for their creativity and artistic value.
Another theme of the exhibition is a display of coins that underscore Chinaʼs global cultural
connections, including commemorative issues for the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2022
Winter Olympics, both hosted in Beijing. Also featured are coins that explore cross-cultural
dialogue, such as the bicentenary of Hans Christian Andersen, whose fairy tales are part of the
Chinese primary school curriculum, and Pucciniʼs Turandot, which presents a Western
romanticized view of China. Additional coins in the collection pay tribute to influential Western
artists, including Picasso and Dalí, and composers such as Mozart and Bach, whose works have
shaped or intersected with Chinese cultural life.
Interactive Displays
The exhibition will feature interactive displays that demonstrate various aspects of coin
production. For example, a video will showcase the minting process of the Olympic medals from
the 2008 Beijing Olympics, offering valuable context for key technical processes. Elsewhere, a
digital wishing pool will allow visitors to virtually toss a coin and make a wish, while other
installations invite them to learn Chinese characters from coin designs, and create their own
design for next yearʼs zodiac animal – the horse. Additionally, visitors will be able to vote on
submissions for the Our Water – UKChina Youth Coin Design Competition and view a curated
selection of Half-Marathon Suzhou Creek cultural products, which blend the rich heritage of
Suzhou Creek with contemporary design.
Our Water – UKChina Youth Coin Design Competition
Organised by USCSJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry and Brunel Design School,
Brunel University of London, the competition invited design students to create coin concepts
inspired by the waterways in Shanghai and London. The winning entry will be minted and turned
into a commemorative coin, fostering the next generation of medallists and coin designers.
Public Programming
In response to the newly established UN International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations 10
June), the exhibition will be accompanied by a programme of in person events, including a
roundtable discussion about the evolution of money and a sustainable future, and an Urban
Study roundtable about riverside heritage in the digital age.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SHANGHAI MINTMUSEUM TO BE SHOWCASED IN LONDON
