2017-07-04 Tue

A pair of Chinese pandas has found a new home; it is the Berlin Zoo’s new panda pavilion. The estimate of the pavilion is around nine million Euros and it will be open to the public on 5th July.

Also, a ceremony will be held to mark the transfer of the pandas to the zoo. Among the attendees will be Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other important dignitaries. To witness this massive event, 500 people will watch the development of friendship between the People’s Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Germany.

Champion Leilo Co., working with Künker Auction Co. and Staatliche Münze Berlin, decided to release commemorative medals to celebrate this marvellous event.

The Chinese Embassy gave full support and the Chinese Ministry of Culture sanctioned the use of the official logo of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’ Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Germany in the production of the medals. The medals were created by two top-notch designers, Mr. Yu Min and Mr. Heinz Hoyer.

Mr. Yu Min has designed over 100 People’s Republic of China coins and more than 40 Panda coins. Earlier this year, Mr. Yu Min won Krause Publications’ Lifetime Achievement in Coin Design award, aka the ‘Oscar’ of coin awards, at the Krause ceremonies in 2017.

In the year 2016, Mr Heinz Hoyer won a Lifetime Achievement in Coin Design. He has designed over 20 coins for the Federal Republic of Germany and the Democratic Republic of Germany, including the current one and two euro coins.

There are two versions of the medal designed by Mr. Yu Min. The first one is made from brass and the other from 1 oz. of 0.999 fine silver. The obverse showcases the logo of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations. The background depicts the Brandenburg Gate and the Great Wall and the Sino-German Friendship in English at the bottom. The reverse showcases a German bear welcoming two panda bear with a background of Chinese bamboo and “Chinesisch-Deutsche Freundschaft” at the bottom and “????” at the top.

The version designed by Mr. Heinz Hoyer will also be minted in brass, with a silver plate and a 1 oz. 0.999 fine silver version. These both share the same obverse with Mr. Yu’s version. The reverse portrays a Berlin bear with flowers, welcoming two panda bears with city landmarks of Berlin in the background and “Sino-German Friendship” in English, Chinese and German. Heinz Hoyer’s version will be produced by Germany’s oldest mint, Staatliche Münze Berlin (the Berlin Mint), which has been in operation since 1280.

It is also an important year for trade between China and Germany. The year 2016 has seen some changes as China has become Germany’s most reliable trading partner. Their bilateral trade amounted to US$151.29 billion, accounting for more than one-third of China’s trade with the EU. Last year, China’s investment in Germany reached US$2.945 billion, which had increased by 258. 6% to the previous year, while Germany introduced 392 investment projects in China, with an overall total of 9, 394 projects. The combination of German technology and efficiency with the Chinese market is a key factor in building Sino-German economic cooperation.

Mr. Yu Min’s version of the medal will have mintages of 1,500 pieces in brass and 3,000 pieces in silver; Mr. Hoyer’s version will have mintages of 1,000 pieces in brass and 3,000 in silver.