Singapore issues coins for Year of the Monkey

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has launched a series of coins and a puzzle coin set for the upcoming Chinese Year of the Monkey.

The coins and coin set will be issued from January 1, 2016, The Straits Times reported on Saturday.

Part of the MAS' third Chinese Almanac coin series, the coins will be available in nine versions. Each will feature a design of a monkey holding a peach.

The series will include a 1 kg coin made of fine silver, with a diametre of 10 cm, which is the largest issued by MAS so far. The 80 Singapore dollar coin will have a limited mintage of 500 pieces.

Some of the coins will also be released as a set. Selected sets include an eight-sided ingot with a design depicting a family of monkeys.

The Monkey is the ninth of the 12-year cycle of animals which are a part of the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar.

The other animals in the cycle are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, rooster, dog and pig.