For the first time, highlights from the Shanghai Mint Museum’s collection will be shown internationally. Central to the exhibition is the award-winning commemorative coin for the Chinese Peking Opera depicting
Sheng (a male role), the first complete medal set of the Chinese Zodiac, and cross-cultural coins referencing the Olympics, Hans Christian Andersen,
Turandot, Picasso, and Mozart. As physical currency becomes less central to daily life, the exhibition explores how coins and medals preserve and reflect collective memory, cultural values, and shared histories.
Set within the former home of the UK’s Royal Mint for over 150 years and a striking 19th-century building designed by renowned architect Robert Smirke in his first official commission, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience a site steeped in history. This remarkable venue provides a fitting backdrop for an exhibition that bridges two nations through their shared numismatic legacy.
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.
Opening hours: 09:30–16:30 BST, 8–14 June
Location: Former Royal Mint, London, EC3N 4AB
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 year’s 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
District’s 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.”
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. China’s 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 country’s aerospace programme and highspeed trains.
The exhibition will also celebrate China’s unique natural heritage. Highlights 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. These
coins offer a perspective on China’s 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 China’s 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 Puccini’s 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 year’s zodiac animal – the horse. Additionally, visitors will be able to vote on
submissions for the Our Water – UK-China 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 – UK-China Youth Coin Design Competition
Organised by USC-SJTU 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.
