762) The "Maneki Neko Cat" or the "Fortune Cat": A $1 Gold Coin issued by the Republic of Palau: Minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich for Coin Invest Trust in 2018:
The "Maneki Neko Cat" or the "Fortune Cat" is a lucky cat charm that is very popular in Japanese culture. It is also called the Lucky Cat, Money Cat and Welcoming Cat. It is a talisman that is believed to attract good luck and fortune for its owners. "Maneki Neko" in Japanese means the "Beckoning Cat". The cat has its paw raised as if it is waving in good fortune for its owners.
A representation of the Maneki Neko Gold $1 coin Reverse face
These ceramic cats are often displayed in Japanese stores, restaurants, super-markets and business establishments, key-chains, piggy-banks, air fresheners, house plant pots etc.
Legends on the Maneki Neko Cat:
Maneki Neko Cats first appeared in Edo Japan and the tradition of putting up ceramic cats with a raised paw can be traced back to 16th Century Japan.
Legends have developed around the Maneki Neko Cat's origins.
One story goes that a wealthy man who took shelter from a rain-storm under a tree next to a temple noticed a cat that seemed to be beckoning to him, which he followed into the temple. Shortly, thereafter, lightning struck the tree he had been standing under. The cat had saved the man's life for which the man was grateful. The Cat became a benefactor of the temple and brought it much prosperity. When the passed away, a statue of the cat was made in his honour.
One story goes that a wealthy man who took shelter from a rain-storm under a tree next to a temple noticed a cat that seemed to be beckoning to him, which he followed into the temple. Shortly, thereafter, lightning struck the tree he had been standing under. The cat had saved the man's life for which the man was grateful. The Cat became a benefactor of the temple and brought it much prosperity. When the passed away, a statue of the cat was made in his honour.
A second legend has it that the owner of an impoverished business establishment took in a starving stray cat despite barely having enough to feed himself. In gratitude, the cat sat in front of the establishment beckoning customers, thus bringing prosperity as a reward to the charitable proprietor. Ever after, the "beckoning cat" has become a symbol of good luck for business owners/establishments.
The significance of the raised paws :
The significance of the raised paws :
It is believed that if the cat is holding up its left paw, customers will be attracted to the business establishment, where it is kept.
If the right paw is raised, good fortune and money would follow. Both paws raised spells protection.
The significance of what the Cat is wearing and holding in its paw:
The Maneki Neko is a finely "dressed" cat, usually wearing a bib, red collar and small golden bell (to track the cat's location).
Fortune Cat figurines are depicted as holding other things in their paws, like:
A gold Koban of the value of one Rho: This was the most important Japanese gold coin during the Edo period and is considered to bring good luck
The Magic Money Mallet: A small mallet represents wealth. When the mallet is shaken, it is said to attract wealth
A Fish, mostly a Carp: The fish is symbolic of good fortune and abundance
A Marble or a Gem: This is also a "money magnet". It is believed to represent wisdom
Sometimes, a Maneki Neko Cat may hold gourds, prayer tablets, daikon radishes and ingots - all of which represent wealth and good fortune.
Antique specimens of Maneki Neko are made of carved wood, stone and metal, hand-made porcelain or cast iron.
The Maneki Neko Cat comes in various colours with different interpretations as to what the different variants signify:
If the right paw is raised, good fortune and money would follow. Both paws raised spells protection.
The significance of what the Cat is wearing and holding in its paw:
The Maneki Neko is a finely "dressed" cat, usually wearing a bib, red collar and small golden bell (to track the cat's location).
Fortune Cat figurines are depicted as holding other things in their paws, like:
A gold Koban of the value of one Rho: This was the most important Japanese gold coin during the Edo period and is considered to bring good luck
The Magic Money Mallet: A small mallet represents wealth. When the mallet is shaken, it is said to attract wealth
A Fish, mostly a Carp: The fish is symbolic of good fortune and abundance
A Marble or a Gem: This is also a "money magnet". It is believed to represent wisdom
Sometimes, a Maneki Neko Cat may hold gourds, prayer tablets, daikon radishes and ingots - all of which represent wealth and good fortune.
Antique specimens of Maneki Neko are made of carved wood, stone and metal, hand-made porcelain or cast iron.
The Maneki Neko Cat comes in various colours with different interpretations as to what the different variants signify:
The Maneki Neko Cat is mostly seen in white with orange and black spots. Some other colour variations can also be there -
Black: Wards off evil spirits
Calico: Traditional colour combination, which is considered to be the luckiest.
Gold: Wealth and Prosperity
Green: Good Health
Red: Success in love and relationships
White: Happiness, purity and positive things to come
Interestingly, some Maneki-Neko Cats come equipped with battery or solar powered moving arms endlessly engaged in the beckoning gesture(like the above specimen)
The Commemorative Coin issued by Coin Invest Trust on behalf of the Republic of Palau:
The Reverse of this $1 Gold Coin depicts a Maneki Neko Cat
The Obverse of the $1 Gold Coin depicts circular impression of a coin with the Coat of arms of the Republic of Palau inside. On the top is the legend "REPUBLIC OF PALAU".
The specifications of this coin are:
Issuing Country: Republic of Palau; Year of issue: 2018; Coin Denomination: $1; Metal Composition: .9999 Gold (Au); Weight: 0.5 grams; Coin Quality: Brilliant Uncirculated; Diameter/Size: 13.92 mm; Mintage: 15,000 pieces; Minted by: B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageantalt, Munich on behalf of Coin Invest Trust (CIT)
Links to posts on Australia, New Zealand and countries and Overseas Territories of the South Pacific on this Blog:
2) Papua New Guinea: An uncirculated coin set brought out in 1995 commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Independence
3) Currency & Coinage of the Solomon Islands: Dollars and Cents
4) New Zealand: New Banknote "Seventh Series" issued under Project "Brighter Money" from 2015 onwards
5) Coinage of the French Polynesian Island of Caledonia (or Nouvelle Caledonie) the CFP Franc
6) French Institution for issuing uniform currency/coinage for French Overseas Territories in the Pacific and the French Southern Territories of Antarctica: The Institut d'emmission d'outre Mer (IEOM)
7) Currency & Coinage of Samoa: Tala and Sene
8) Currency of the South Pacific Island Country of Fiji
9) Coinage of New Zealand: A commemorative coin set issued in 1979
10) Currency and Coinage of Australia: Dollars and Cents
11) The Australian Emblem or the Coat of Arms
12) The story of the Australian Penny
13) The Legend of the Mutiny on the Bounty: A Commemorative Coin Set from the Pitcairn Islands depicting relics from the Bounty issued in 2009
14) An Australian $5 coin issued in 1996, commemorating Australia's greatest cricketing legend - Sir Donald Bradman
15) New Series/Generation of Australian Banknotes being introduced from 01.09.2016 onwards starting from $5 issues
16) Southern Lights: A $1 Silver holographic coin issued by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in January 2017
17) Currency & coinage of the Kingdom of Tonga : Pa'anga & Seniti
18) Postage Stamps & Coin: Commemorating the Centenary of the Trans-Australian Railway Line stamps issued by Australia Post & coins by Perth Mint on 04.07.2017
20) The Earth and Beyond Coin Series issued by the Royal Australian Mint (RAM): First coin in the series - The Earth - issued on 03.04.2018
21) Wedge Tailed Eagle Coin Series: 200 Dollars Gold, 100 Dollars Gold & 1 Dollar Silver coins brought out by the Perth Mint, Australia in its on-going series started in 2014 in collaboration with John Mercanti, Chief Engraver of the US Mint: Coins issued in 2018
1)Famous Pirates of the Caribbean :2) Edward Teach or "BlackBeard"
2)Famous Pirates of the Caribbean: 3)Bartholomew Roberts or Black Bart Roberts
3)Famous Pirates of the Caribbean:4)Jack Rackham
4)Famous-pirates-of- the Caribbean : 5) Henry Avery
5)Famous Pirates of the Caribbean : 6) Sir Henry Morgan
6)Norse Goddess Freya - a Silver 2 Dollars High Relief antiquated Coin , the first in the Series titled "Norse Goddesses" (2017)
2) Four Leaf Clover - Coin titled "Silver Fortune" - A 5 Dollars Silver coin issued by Coin Invest Trust in 2018
3) Totem Pole 2 Oz. or 10 Dollars Silver coin from the Republic of Palau being issued on 12.06.2018
4) The "Maneki Neko Cat" ot the "Fortune Cat" : A $1 Gold Coin issued by the Republic of Palau: Minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich for Coin Invest Trust in 2018
Links to Posts on coin issues from Niue Islands:
1) Battle of Marathon: Battles that changed History Coin Series: A $2 Silver coin issued by the New Zealand Mint of behalf of Niue Islands in 2018
2) Sachin Tendulkar: "World's Greatest Batsman": Gold & Silver coins issued by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Islands in 2015
2) Papua New Guinea: An uncirculated coin set brought out in 1995 commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Independence
3) Currency & Coinage of the Solomon Islands: Dollars and Cents
4) New Zealand: New Banknote "Seventh Series" issued under Project "Brighter Money" from 2015 onwards
5) Coinage of the French Polynesian Island of Caledonia (or Nouvelle Caledonie) the CFP Franc
6) French Institution for issuing uniform currency/coinage for French Overseas Territories in the Pacific and the French Southern Territories of Antarctica: The Institut d'emmission d'outre Mer (IEOM)
7) Currency & Coinage of Samoa: Tala and Sene
8) Currency of the South Pacific Island Country of Fiji
9) Coinage of New Zealand: A commemorative coin set issued in 1979
10) Currency and Coinage of Australia: Dollars and Cents
11) The Australian Emblem or the Coat of Arms
12) The story of the Australian Penny
13) The Legend of the Mutiny on the Bounty: A Commemorative Coin Set from the Pitcairn Islands depicting relics from the Bounty issued in 2009
14) An Australian $5 coin issued in 1996, commemorating Australia's greatest cricketing legend - Sir Donald Bradman
15) New Series/Generation of Australian Banknotes being introduced from 01.09.2016 onwards starting from $5 issues
16) Southern Lights: A $1 Silver holographic coin issued by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in January 2017
17) Currency & coinage of the Kingdom of Tonga : Pa'anga & Seniti
18) Postage Stamps & Coin: Commemorating the Centenary of the Trans-Australian Railway Line stamps issued by Australia Post & coins by Perth Mint on 04.07.2017
20) The Earth and Beyond Coin Series issued by the Royal Australian Mint (RAM): First coin in the series - The Earth - issued on 03.04.2018
21) Wedge Tailed Eagle Coin Series: 200 Dollars Gold, 100 Dollars Gold & 1 Dollar Silver coins brought out by the Perth Mint, Australia in its on-going series started in 2014 in collaboration with John Mercanti, Chief Engraver of the US Mint: Coins issued in 2018
Links to interesting Posts on coins from Tuvalu Islands:
1)Famous Pirates of the Caribbean :2) Edward Teach or "BlackBeard"
2)Famous Pirates of the Caribbean: 3)Bartholomew Roberts or Black Bart Roberts
3)Famous Pirates of the Caribbean:4)Jack Rackham
4)Famous-pirates-of- the Caribbean : 5) Henry Avery
5)Famous Pirates of the Caribbean : 6) Sir Henry Morgan
6)Norse Goddess Freya - a Silver 2 Dollars High Relief antiquated Coin , the first in the Series titled "Norse Goddesses" (2017)
Other interesting links to posts from Cook Islands minted by Coin Invest Trust:
1) Brexit : Britain's Exit from the EEC : Coins issued by the Cook islands in the denomination of $1, $5 and $ 20 in 2016
2) 150th Anniversary of "The Great Tea Race - 1866": Commemorative Coins in the denomination of 10 and 2 Dollars issued by Cook Islands in 2016
3) The Mystical Ancient Egyptian Labyrinth depicted on $10 Silver coins issued by Cook islands in 2016, under its "Milestones of Mankind Series".
4) King Arthur: The first coin in the six coins "Camelot Series".
5) Quilling Art: Silver 2 Dollars coins issued - Flowers (2016) & Bird (2017)
2) 150th Anniversary of "The Great Tea Race - 1866": Commemorative Coins in the denomination of 10 and 2 Dollars issued by Cook Islands in 2016
3) The Mystical Ancient Egyptian Labyrinth depicted on $10 Silver coins issued by Cook islands in 2016, under its "Milestones of Mankind Series".
4) King Arthur: The first coin in the six coins "Camelot Series".
5) Quilling Art: Silver 2 Dollars coins issued - Flowers (2016) & Bird (2017)
Links to posts on issues from the Republic of Palau:
2) Four Leaf Clover - Coin titled "Silver Fortune" - A 5 Dollars Silver coin issued by Coin Invest Trust in 2018
3) Totem Pole 2 Oz. or 10 Dollars Silver coin from the Republic of Palau being issued on 12.06.2018
4) The "Maneki Neko Cat" ot the "Fortune Cat" : A $1 Gold Coin issued by the Republic of Palau: Minted by B.H. Mayer's Kunstprageanstalt, Munich for Coin Invest Trust in 2018
Links to Posts on coin issues from Niue Islands:
1) Battle of Marathon: Battles that changed History Coin Series: A $2 Silver coin issued by the New Zealand Mint of behalf of Niue Islands in 2018
2) Sachin Tendulkar: "World's Greatest Batsman": Gold & Silver coins issued by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Islands in 2015
No comments:
Post a Comment