Resuming Issuance After 15年
The Central Bank will issue the 第15套 "New Taiwan Dollar Coin Indigenous Series Set – Hla'alua Edition" on 11月12日, limited to 1萬3000套, priced at 350元 per set, publicly sold through Bank of Taiwan branches, with a limit of 2套 per person per purchase. This issue comes 15年 after the Seediq edition issued in 2011年, with the mintage reduced from 5萬5000套 to 1萬3000套, and the price raised from 250元 to 350元. Issuance Department Director-General Deng Yan-da of the Central Bank said the indigenous coin sets are mainly aimed at cultural promotion and public service, priced close to production cost, and are by no means for profit.
Spotlight on the Sacred Shell Festival Culture of a 500人 Community
Since launching the first Yami set in 1998年, the Central Bank has issued series featuring the Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Amis, Tsou, Bunun, Atayal, Saisiyat, Thao, Kavalan, Truku, Sakizaya and Seediq peoples, with a cumulative total of 14套, presenting the cultural arts, customs and traditions of Taiwan's indigenous peoples through coins and medals. The Hla'alua people live mainly in Namasia and Taoyuan Districts of Kaohsiung City, with a population of about 500人, and possess a distinctive Sacred Shell Festival culture, differing from the Tsou in language and social relations, and were officially recognized in 2014年 as the 15th indigenous people of Taiwan. The Sacred Shell Festival holds important spiritual significance for the Hla'alua people, and each year during the ceremony, tribal members return to the tribe to jointly participate in traditional rituals.
Field Visits to the Tribe to Confirm Design Details
To ensure the cultural content presented on the coin set is accurate, the Central Bank spent more than 一年 preparing for this issue, with teams from the Issuance Department and the Central Mint conducting field visits to the tribe with the assistance of the Council of Indigenous Peoples, holding in-depth interviews with tribal members to gradually confirm design details and cultural meanings, and gaining the support of tribal members. The Central Bank said it hopes that through this coin set issue, more people will come to know the history and culture of the Hla'alua people, and contribute to the inheritance of indigenous culture.
Pricing Explanation and Follow-up Issuance Plans
Regarding the price adjustment, Deng Yan-da explained that when the first Yami set was launched in 1998年, the price was 350元, and the price this time is the same as that year. Although it is 100元 higher than the Seediq edition issued in 2011年, considering that this set is made of copper alloy with a level of craftsmanship comparable to the zodiac sets, the Central Bank considers 350元 to remain an affordable price. As for the reason for the 15-year hiatus, Deng Yan-da explained that from 2012年至2021年間 the Central Bank successively issued the National Parks series sets, and only after completing that series did it resume planning the indigenous coin sets, incorporating the groups newly recognized in 2014年 into the issuance plan. He also previewed that the Kanakanavu edition is expected in 2027年, and the Siraya edition is planned for 2028年. This Hla'alua coin set is embedded with one 115年版 proof 20元 circulation coin, together with one proof themed medal. The obverse of the medal presents the beauty of traditional tribal attire in color patterns, while the reverse features the sacred shells and the Laonong River basin, an important living area for the people, as design themes. The outer sleeve depicts elders leading tribal members in passing on culture, as well as the "throwing shells for blessings" ritual in the Sacred Shell Festival; the inner pages introduce the Sacred Shell Festival, traditional attire, houses, men's assembly houses, as well as craft goods and economic activities drawn from the natural environment, giving the set collection, cultural introduction and educational value.