China's central bank issues gold and silver coins for Long March 90th anniversary
In short
The People's Bank of China announced on 21 October that it would issue a set of gold and silver commemorative coins for the 90th anniversary of the Long March victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army on 22 October. The set has one gold coin and one silver coin, with maximum issues of 10,000 and 20,000 pieces.
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China's central bank, the People's Bank of China, issued a notice on 21 October that it would put a set of commemorative coins on issue on 22 October 2026. The set marks the 90th anniversary of the Long March victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. It has two coins, one gold and one silver, and both are legal tender of the People's Republic of China, according to China News Service, Jiemian and Xinhua. On the morning of 22 October China News Service reported that the central bank was issuing the set that day. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Per Jiemian and Xinhua, the obverse of both coins shows the national emblem of the People's Republic of China, with the country name and the year. The 8-gram round gold coin has a reverse design that Jiemian lists as a five-pointed star, a hammer and sickle, rays and a scene of the Red Army crossing snow mountains and grasslands. Xinhua lists the star, the rays and the scene with 'etc.'. The reverse also carries the inscription 'China Workers' and Peasants' Red Army Long March Victory 90th Anniversary', the dates '1936-2026' and the face value. [ 3 , 4 ]
The 30-gram round silver coin shows a sculpture of the Red Army's Long March arrival in northern Shaanxi and Yan'an's Baota Mountain, among other elements, on its reverse. It carries the same inscription and dates. Both outlets give the maximum issue as 10,000 gold coins and 20,000 silver coins. [ 3 , 4 ]
Jiemian gave further specifications. The gold coin is a proof coin containing 8 grams of pure gold, with a diameter of 22 mm, a face value of 100 yuan and 99.9% fineness. The silver coin is a proof coin containing 30 grams of pure silver, with a diameter of 40 mm, a face value of 10 yuan and 99.9% fineness. Jiemian reported that Shenyang Mint Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Guobao Mint Co., Ltd. strike the coins. [ 3 ]
China Gold Coin Group Co., Ltd. is the general distributor. Jiemian and Xinhua direct readers to the China Gold Coin website for sales channels, and Jiemian also names the 'China Gold Coin' WeChat account. The documents do not give prices or the date sales begin. Xinhua said the images came from the central bank's website. [ 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The documents give no assessment of wider significance. They show the central bank marking the anniversary with legal-tender coins of limited mintage, sold through the China Gold Coin channels.
Key facts
- The People's Bank of China set 22 October 2026 as the issue date for a set of gold and silver commemorative coins for the 90th anniversary of the Long March victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The set has two coins, one gold and one silver, and both are legal tender of the People's Republic of China. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The 8-gram gold coin has a face value of 100 yuan, a diameter of 22 mm, 99.9% fineness and a maximum issue of 10,000 pieces. [ 3 , 4 ]
- The 30-gram silver coin has a face value of 10 yuan, a diameter of 40 mm, 99.9% fineness and a maximum issue of 20,000 pieces. [ 3 , 4 ]
- China Gold Coin Group Co., Ltd. is the general distributor of the set. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Jiemian reported that the coins are minted by Shenyang Mint Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Guobao Mint Co., Ltd. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The People's Bank of China announced on 21 October that it would issue the Long March 90th anniversary gold and silver commemorative coin set on 22 October 2026. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The set consists of one gold coin and one silver coin, both legal tender. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The maximum issue is 10,000 gold coins and 20,000 silver coins. [ 3 , 4 ]
- China Gold Coin Group Co., Ltd. is the general distributor. [ 3 , 4 ]
- China News Service reported on the morning of 22 October that the central bank was issuing the set that day. [ 5 ]
Still unclear
- The full gold coin reverse design Jiemian lists a five-pointed star, a hammer and sickle, rays and a scene of the Red Army crossing snow mountains and grasslands. Xinhua lists the star, rays and the scene with 'etc.' and does not mention the hammer and sickle.
- Which mints strike the coins Only Jiemian names the mints.
- Sale prices and the date sales begin The documents give no prices or sales dates; they point readers to the China Gold Coin website and its WeChat account for sales channels.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- China News Service, citing the central bank's WeChat account, reported the 22 October issue (21 October). [ 2 ]
- Jiemian published the full coin specifications (21 October). [ 3 ]
- Xinhua reported that the central bank had issued the announcement on 21 October. [ 4 ]
- China News Service reported that the central bank was issuing the set that day (22 October). [ 5 ]