China Issues Commemorative Coins for Jiang Zemin Centenary
The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) announced on August 14 that it will issue a set of four commemorative coins starting August 17 to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jiang Zemin, the late Chinese leader who served as Communist Party general secretary from 1989 to 2002 and as president from 1993 to 2003. The set comprises one ordinary commemorative coin, two gold coins, and one silver coin, all of which are legal tender of the People’s Republic of China, according to Xinhua News.
The Commemorative Coin Set
The ordinary commemorative coin carries a face value of 1 yuan (about 14.73 U.S. cents), measures 25 millimeters in diameter, and is made of nickel-plated steel with a mintage of 10 million pieces. Its obverse features China’s national emblem along with the country name and year of issuance, while the reverse bears a portrait of Jiang with the inscription “100th Anniversary of Jiang Zemin’s Birth,” “1926-2026,” and the face value, as reported by People’s Daily.
The ordinary coin will be distributed through a reservation and exchange system, with reservations open from August 31 to September 1 and exchanges from October 13 to 19. Each individual may reserve up to 20 coins. The coin is interchangeable with circulating RMB of the same denomination.
The three precious metal coins are refined issues minted by Shenyang Mint Co., Ltd., Shanghai Mint Co., Ltd., and Shenzhen Guobao Mint Co., Ltd., and will be distributed by China Gold Coin Group Co., Ltd. The 30-gram round gold coin, with a face value of 500 yuan and a maximum mintage of just 1,000 pieces, features a portrait of Jiang on its reverse. The 8-gram round gold coin, with a face value of 100 yuan and a maximum mintage of 10,000 pieces, depicts a photograph of Jiang’s 1947 graduation from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The 30-gram round silver coin, with a face value of 10 yuan and a maximum mintage of 20,000 pieces, features a photograph of Jiang speaking at a “Three Stresses” education campaign meeting for leading officials in Gaozhou, Guangdong Province, in 2000, as detailed by the China Government website.
A Broader Centenary Commemoration
The coin issuance is part of a wider series of high-profile events marking what would have been Jiang’s 100th birthday on August 17. State broadcaster CCTV has been airing a 12-episode documentary titled “Jiang Zemin,” jointly produced by the Communist Party’s Central Publicity Department, the Institute of Party History and Literature, and CCTV, with two episodes nightly at prime time from August 11 to 16. A grand symposium is expected at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on August 17, with President Xi Jinping presiding and delivering a commemorative speech, according to SCMP.
Jiang will become the seventh CCP leader to have his 100th birthday marked with a high-level state event, following Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping, and Chen Yun. On July 6, the Central Propaganda Department designated Jiang’s ancestral home in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province as a national patriotic education base.
The Jiang-Zhu Reform Legacy
The centenary commemorations carry particular weight following the death of former Premier Zhu Rongji on August 12 at age 97. Zhu, who worked alongside Jiang in what has been described as the “golden partnership” of the CCP’s third-generation leadership, presided with Jiang over one of the most transformative periods in modern Chinese history. Together they brought inflation under control, advanced fiscal and tax reform, restructured state-owned enterprises, and led China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001.
As Foreign Policy notes, Zhu’s death is being perceived as the definitive end to the era of breakneck reform that the two men came to represent. The timing of Zhu’s passing, coinciding with the centenary commemorations, has focused attention on the reformist legacy of the Jiang era.
Political Significance
Analysts suggest the commemorative efforts go beyond mere remembrance. The Chinese leadership is highlighting two key images of Jiang: as the “successor of reform and opening-up,” signaling continued prioritization of the private economy and Western economic cooperation amid current challenges including real estate slumps and trade conflicts; and as a “crisis manager,” suggesting the need for bold leadership amid intensifying U.S.-China competition.
Professor Chien-Wen Kou of National Chengchi University in Taiwan noted the centennial events could “affirm Jiang’s historical contributions while strengthening the current leadership’s authority and stabilizing party morale,” as reported by the Chosun Daily.
What to Watch
As the August 17 centenary date approaches, all eyes will be on the grand ceremony at the Great Hall of the People and President Xi’s commemorative address. The coin issuance, beginning the same day, will offer the public a tangible way to participate in the commemoration. With reservations opening at the end of August, demand for the 10 million ordinary coins is expected to be significant, while the limited mintage of the gold and silver issues will make them highly sought-after collector’s items.