By October 2004, the first mint museum will open in Shanghai, giving visitors a chance to view hundreds of ancient Chinese coins and how those coins were manufactured.

"Although the manufacture of coins and bank notes is an indispensable part of the country's long history, it has been kept as a mystery to most residents for centuries," said Jiang Jincheng, deputy director of the museum's preparatory team, yesterday.

China played an important role in the development of both money and the minting process, as it is believed that the first bank notes were created here more than 1,000 years ago.

The Shanghai Mint has budgeted around 8 million yuan (US$963,855) to build the museum in the lobby floor of its classical-styled administrative building, which was built in 1920 on Guangfu Road S. in Putuo District.

"The blueprint for the museum has already been designed and hopefully the construction will kick off by the year's end," said Jiang.

The museum will be comprised of four halls showcasing an ancient mint, minting technology, various printing patterns for coins and notes and modern Chinese coins -- both legal tender and souvenir coins.

Some giant minting equipment will be exhibited to public for the first time at the museum.

Visitors will also have a chance to operate some of the machinery, stamping souvenir coins they can take home.

The museum will also teach people how to tell the difference between a counterfeit coin and a real one.

"Many people may have grasped the techniques to authenticate Chinese bank notes but not coins," said Jiang, noting that fake coins can still be found in local markets on occasion.

During the first three decades of the People's Republic of China, the country's mints were far behind their western counterparts. As a result, only small low-value coins were circulated in the market.

As the economy grew, the coins couldn't meet the demands of consumers, so the central government started to issue new coins after the country began its opening-up policy in 1978, according to Jiang.

The mint museum is part of the city's long-term ambition to open more than 30 new museums, lifting the total number to a hundred by the end of 2005 around the city.

(eastday.com August 26, 2003)