Tourists take photos in front of the main light group themed on the rat during the Yuyuan Spring Lantern Festival at the Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 10, 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)

 
Britain's Royal Mint has marked the start of the new Lunar cycle in 2020 with the first sign of the calendar, the Rat, to celebrate its diverse multi-cultural society, and lend a unique British angle to an ancient custom.

The centuries-old mint is celebrating this ancient Chinese custom by marking each Zodiac symbol on a coin as part of its Shengxiao Collection. It has grown to become an eagerly anticipated annual event among coin collectors across the globe since first being launched in 2014.

"During Chinese New Year, it is common to exchange tokens and gifts of money in red envelopes symbolizing good wishes for the recipient's health, wealth and prosperity," said a spokesperson for the Royal Mint.

"The Shengxiao Collection combines centuries of The Royal Mint's craftsmanship and artistic skills with a centuries-old Chinese tradition," said Clare Maclennan, divisional director of commemorative coin at The Royal Mint.

The Royal Mint highlighted some of the famous people born in the Year of the Rat, including famous British playwright William Shakespeare, the heir to the British throne Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and the actress, who all share the sign associated with intelligence and optimism.

"The rat is thought of as a godly creature in the Chinese culture, and people born in the Year of the Rat are considered to be optimistic and great at building relationships. Known to be generous and resourceful, the curiosity and intelligence of people born in the Year of the Rat leads them to seek out knowledge," said the Royal Mint.

The Lunar Year of the Rat commemorative coins are available in a range of precious metal and for the first time in a Brilliant Uncirculated finish.

The Royal Mint, which for over 500 years was based in the famous Tower of London, has an unbroken history of minting British coinage dating back over 1,100 years.