The Formosan Blue Magpie Commemorative Colored Silver Medal

99.9% Pure Silver

38 mm

1 oz.

3,000 pieces

In 2007, the Taiwan International Birding Association conducted an Internet-based “National Bird Selection”for the Republic of China to select one from among four species of bird endemic to Taiwan: the Mikado Pheasant, Swinhoe's Pheasant, the Yellow Tit, and the Formosan Blue Magpie. Over a million people in 53 countries participated, and the Formosan Blue Magpie received the most votes. This medal features the image of the Formosan Blue Magpie as photographed by Mr. Alan Huang.

A“ru-yi”is a traditional Chinese art object, a talismanic wand usually manufactured from precious or semi-precious materials such as jade, chalcedony, carnelian, etc. that has the power to grant wishes. In ancient times, it was given as a gift from emperors and empresses to nobles and ministers. In later times, it was a precious gift mutually presented by wealthy families to express the wish that all things be as desired. In the image, the two persimmons “shr-shr” mean“everything,” and the magic wand“ru-yi”means“as desired,” by virtue of being homophones, and they constitute a rebus reading:“May Everything Be As Desired.”