An uncut commemorative banknote sheet with a special serial number considered lucky in Taiwanese culture fetched NT$688,888 (US$23,500) in a public auction this month, the Bank of Taiwan (台灣銀行) said on Tuesday.
The commemorative NT$100 banknote sheet with the serial number QU888888AL was sold in an online auction to an undisclosed bidder, the state-run bank said.
The NT$688,888 paid by the winning bidder was the highest amount in the auction of 74 sets of notes, the bank said.
Photo: Lu Kuan-cheng, Taipei Times
The number eight is considered lucky in Taiwan because it sounds similar in Mandarin to the word for prosperity, wealth or success.
The bidding price was also considered a lucky sum, because the number six is pronounced similarly in Mandarin to the word for flowing or smooth.
The commemorative NT$100 banknotes in souvenir folders were issued by the central bank last year in celebration of the country’s 100th anniversary.
Among the 80 sets of banknotes issued, 74 with special serial numbers were put up for online auction from Thursday last week to Tuesday. A total of 1,788 bids were received and the 74 sets fetched about NT$6.68 million, the bank said.
The banknote sheet with the serial number JQ888888ZA attracted 65 bids, the highest number in the auction, the Land Bank said.
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