Central bank reclaims unsold Lunar New Year coinsCOMMEMORATIVE COINS: With silver prices jumping about 140% last year, the bank retrieved unsold coins to prevent people from using them for speculationStaff writer, with CNAThe central bank has reclaimed unsold commemorative Lunar New Year zodiac coins from past years to prevent arbitrage as global silver prices surged sharply, a bank official said yesterday. The coins were taken back from Chunghwa Post Co (中華郵政), which had been selling leftover zodiac coins from previous years, the official said. A central bank staff member holds a set of Year of the Horse coins at a news conference at the bank in Taipei on Jan. 6. Photo: CNAThe central bank noticed a spike in purchases of older zodiac coins in the middle of last month as silver prices climbed, the official said. The central bank said it acted to prevent people from buying older coins at fixed prices and reselling them for profit based on higher silver values.

Source: Taipei Times February 05, 2026 17:12 UTC