Auspicious Numbers
Auspicious numbers are numbers that herald good fortune. The idea of them being auspicious usually originated from a mix of old Chinese beliefs, wordplay, and gambling traditions. Apart from banknotes, these numbers are also sought after in other areas of life, for instance, as car plates or phone numbers.
Leopard Numbers 豹子号
‘Leopard numbers’ or 豹子号 are serial numbers that end with three identical digits (e.g. 435666 and 041222). In ancient times, numbers were thought to carry special meanings, and when the same digit appeared more than once, its power was believed to grow stronger. The word “豹子” (leopard) originally came from dice games, where getting three of the same number—called a “leopard”—was the rarest and best result. This gambling term later spread into daily life and people began to see repeating numbers as signs of good fortune.
O1 Ten-piece running leopards
Ungraded, like new/lightly used, some foxing
Market Price: $180
(2024)
O50 Leopard 2s
Ungraded, well used
Market Price: $90
(2024)
B5 Double leopards 7s & 1s
Ungraded, well used
Market Price: $10
(2024)
S1 Leopard 1s
Ungraded, well used
Market Price: $4
(2024)
S10 Leopard 4s
Ungraded, brand new
Market Price: $25
(2024)
P2 Leopard 3s
Ungraded, heavily used
Market Price: $3
(2024)
P10 Leopard 8s, auspicious number
Ungraded, lightly used
First prefix variant
Market Price: $380
(2024)
P50 Leopard 0s
Ungraded, lightly used
Market Price: $55
(2024)
Mother of Money 母钱
“Mother of money” or 母钱 are serial numbers that start and end with the digit 9 (e.g. 932529 and 912229). The term comes from ancient Chinese coin-making, where a single, carefully crafted master coin was used to produce all other coins. This master coin was called the “mother” because it was the source of the entire batch. Over time, the idea of a “mother” coin evolved beyond minting and took on symbolic meaning. Today, a banknote with a serial number that starts and ends with the number 9—the highest single-digit number in Chinese culture—is seen as a new form of 母钱. This format, also known as 9-Head-9-Tail (9H9T), frames the serial number at both ends using the number 9, which sounds like the word for “eternity” (久). A “mother of money” note is believed to bring the ability to generate wealth, like how the original master mould once produced real coins.
B10 9H9T
Ungraded, like new
Market Price: $30
(2024)
S2 9H9T
Ungraded, like new, some foxing
Market Price: $12
(2024)
P100 9H9T
Ungraded, heavily used
Market Price: $110
(2024)
Lucky Numbers
Lucky numbers are those that sound positive or auspicious when spoken in Chinese. They are often chosen because their pronunciation is similar to words with good meanings. For example, numbers ending in a string of 3, 8, or 9 are especially popular. The number 3 (sān, 三) sounds like 生, which means “life” or “birth,” and is linked to growth. The number 8 (bā, 八) sounds like 发, meaning “to prosper” or “to get rich,” making it one of the most favoured digits. The number 9 (jiǔ, 九) sounds like 久, which means “long-lasting” or “eternal,” symbolising longevity and lasting success. Some other numbers are also considered lucky because of wordplay—for instance, 1314 sounds like 一生一世, meaning “for a lifetime.”
O100 1388 一生發發
Ungraded, brand new
Market Price: $320
(2024)
S2 328888 生意發發發發
Ungraded, brand new
Market Price: $80
(2024)
P2 168888 一路發發發發
Ungraded, lightly used
Market Price: $6
(2024)