Western Unicorns
The earliest mention of the unicorn can be traced to the Greek historian and physician Ctesias, in 400 BCE. He described an animal with a furry, horse-like body and a single horn on its deer-like head. This legendary creature of European lore is known as a wild, impossible to tame woodland creature revered for its purity and grace. The Western Unicorn’s horn is said to have miraculous healing abilities, including the ability to neutralize poisons and other toxins.
In some stories, the Black Unicorn is a dark, foreboding creature that is a skillful hunter and predator that easily devours its prey. In these stories, the animal brings bad luck or bad intentions to those who come into contact with it.
Strong and powerful, Unicorns are featured on the Royal Arms of both Scotland and the United Kingdom.
Eastern Black Unicorns
The Qilin or Black Unicorn is said to have first appeared in the garden of Huangdi, the third of ancient China’s mythological emperors, in 2697 BCE. It was black in color, had a deer-like body and the tail of an ox, with scales instead of fur, and the horns of a dragon on its lion-like head. Divine and peaceful despite a fearsome, intimidating look, Qilins are known to punish the wicked. They’re thought to be a good omen, bringing serenity, success, protection, longevity, or fertility to those to whom they reveal themselves. Reportedly, a Qilin appeared to Confucius’ mother before he was born.
Exquisite Top Quality Proof Finish
Proofs are struck to a much higher standard of beauty, quality, and craftsmanship than non-proofs. Proof planchets (blanks) are specially treated, hand-polished, and cleaned to ensure high-quality strikes, then fed into presses fitted with specially polished dies and struck at least twice, unlike non-proofs which are struck only once. The extra strikes give proofs a glamorous shine and make intricate, razor-sharp details of the design pop against polished, mirror-like fields. While non-proofs are struck on high-speed presses by the thousands, these Black Unicorn Proofs are individually struck by highly-skilled artisans who are creating numismatic masterpieces.
Gorgeous High Relief Design and Concave Surfaces
Each piece features stunning high-relief imagery on the reverse that seemingly leaps off the frosty-proof surfaces! This image was made possible due to the painstaking process of carving the dramatic, intricate image on a plaster cast! That reverse design was created by esteemed China art designer Zhu Xihua, an artist renowned for his animal artwork. Mr. Zhu currently works for China’s Shanghai Mint.
The obverse for the silver Proofs depicts China’s famous Great Wall of China. The obverse for the gold Proof showcases China’s beautiful Hall of Prayer for Abundant Harvests in the Temple of Heaven (in Beijing).