Hua Mulan: the symbol of patriotism and female independence is now on a beautiful Silver coin

Hello friends, Ilaria here, welcome back to Collection Monday!

Women Warriors

I am sure that when many of you think of warriors, fights and wars, you picture in your mind the image of a strong and valiant man, probably wearing his armor and riding a horse. However, in both history and literature there are many examples of women fighters who have left an indelible mark and the "Woman Warrior" series aims to celebrate them through the representation of some iconic heroines.

The series has seen the release of three coins so far: “Amazon”, “Valkirie” and the newest “Mulan”. It seems that the series has set its focus on mythological and fictional warriors until now, I am curious to see if it will take a different twist in the future and celebrate woman warriors who really existed.

While waiting for a potential new issue, I want to talk with you about the legendary character of Mulan and the third stunning looking coin in this original series.

Hua Mulan: the Story

The story of Mulan became known to Western audiences through the Disney’s 1998 classic animation movie and has been in the spotlight again following the Disney’s remake released last year.

Hua Mulan’s story is based on “The Ballad of Mulan”, an ancient Chinese folk story created at the beginning of the VI century. The ballad tells of how Hua Mulan replaced her aging father to serve her country in a long and terrible war. She disguised herself as a man, fought bravely in the army and led the final battle against the Huns, which saw the triumph of the Chinese Army. After the war, she refused any official reward and just asked for a horse to reunite with her family. It was at this point, after 12 years of war, that Mulan’s real identity was found out. How she supposedly kept her identity a secret all those years will remain a mystery!

Hua Mulan: between Myth and Reality

Although Mulan is often referred to as a real character, there is no historical evidence that she really existed. While it is possible that Mulan could be real, the story is believed to be fictional, mainly because ballads were meant to be inspiring tales rather than historical stories. Why is the story believed to be true then? Probably because, unlike other ballads in Chinese folklore, “The Ballad of Mulan” does not contain any supernatural elements and is closer to a real story than to a fictional story.

Although Mulan may not have actually existed, that has not stopped her story from being inspirational to many people and serve as a great example of patriotism and female independence!

The reverse of the coin

Mulan can be translated as “Magnolia flower” and for this reason the heroine is often depicted accompanied by this beautiful flower, which is also a reminiscence of her femininity that she had to suppress for a long time. However, the floral element is not present in the design of this collectible, making it very original and unique.

The reverse of this 2 Oz Silver Coin coin depicts a powerful and dynamic image of Hua Mulan. The warrior is represented fighting on a rooftop, she is wearing the traditional Chinese armor and is holding a Gilded sword. The coin has beautiful shades and presents a stunning High Relief that, among other elements, highlights the breast of the heroine, a detail that I love and that I read as the breakout of this woman, who can finally fight without hiding her true identity. The design also incorporates a flowing Chinese Dragon, symbol of a more fantastical approach to the story and the to the coin.

Like the other coins in the series, “Mulan” has Antique Finish, is rimless and features an uncommon wooden insert with the initial of the heroine: “M”. The wooden insert gives the coin a very nice touch and is very pretty and original indeed.

The obverse of the coin and the case

The coin is Niue legal tender and was struck at the Mint of Poland, as reported on the Certificate of Authenticity accompanying the coin. The obverse of this collectible is common to the series and features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II surrounded by a frame of wooden boards recalling the wooden insert on the reverse.

The coin is protected by a capsule and comes in an elegant wooden case with a shiny finish. The case is wrapped in a themed sleeve with a powerful image of Hua Mulan in red nuances. I really like and appreciate that the image on the sleeve is not the same presented on the coin, thus you can still be surprised when you open the case and look at the coin for the first time!

Who would you like to see in the next issue? I would love to see a woman warrior who really existed, like Joan of Arc.

Stay tuned and remember: Collect, Invest, Enjoy!