Year of the Rat Gift Set. Each colorful "lay see" (Chinese New Year) card contains a crisp Chinese banknote 1 Yuan or 2 Yuan (at our choice) and a brilliant uncirculated rat coin. The "Year of the Rat" card was issued by China in 1996, and makes an excellent gift, especially for those born in the Year of the Mouse: 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948, 1936, 1924, etc. The Chinese calendar is represented by 12 animals. Legend has it that they were selected by the Jade Emperor who conducted a race and selected the first dozen in the order in which they finished. During the race, the mouse hitched a ride on the back of the slow but persistent ox. When the ox was a few feet from the finish line, the mouse jumped off and raced ahead to claim the victory and first place in the chronological listings (followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, serpent, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and boar).
Packed by shenyang Mint Co. Ltd. in 1996.
