Greetings everyone!
I have finally found the time and made the effort to post this, my first contest, in celebration of my 100th post and return from China (about two weeks ago)! I had hoped to get a full set of currency (1 each) of all of the notes and coins from 10 Yuan (Renminbi) down to 1 Fen (pronounced "fun!", but without the exclamation), but I was visiting my in-laws and didn't get to do everything I would have liked.
But enough about me - on to the goodies. Below are pics of what the lucky winner will get, One each of the 20,10,5, and 1 Yuan notes (the Yuan is their basic unit of currency, kind of like our dollar) and a 1Yuan, 5 Jiao, 1 Jiao and 1 Fen coin (the Fen is kind of like our cent, 10 Fen = 1 Jiao). There are also 5 Jiao,2 Jiao,1 Jiao, 5 Fen and 1 Fen notes (as well as coins), but they will have to be in next year's contest. All the items are in gently used (i.e. pulled from circulation) condition.
http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/...98Prize1.jpghttp://www.coincommunity.com/forum/...adPrize1.jpghttp://www.coincommunity.com/forum/...01Prize2.jpgSo what do you have to do to win? Why, it's pretty simple. Since I like contests to be something you probably can't just Google to find the answer to, I have put in below a picture of a temple about a mile from my in-laws place (this pic is from last year when I walked out there). All you have to do is guess the year it was built - the person with 50 or more posts that comes closest without going over wins the big wonton as described above. As a Bonus (for those new people who have read this far down) - the person with 10 to 49 posts (at the time the contest ends) who comes closest without going over wins a small set of coins. OK, so the prizes aren't the greatest (go for the silver, as they say in sports), but they are mien fei (free) and hopefully of interest to a collector who doesn't have any Chinese currency.
Image: 
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Contest ends Friday, November 2nd, 2007 at midnight (forum time). I will post the winner and (ideally) a pic of the plaque which shows the year the temple was completed on Saturday November 3rd or thereabouts. Good luck to all!
And the Winner is...biokemist6! For second place I am awarding b_j_w_79 (he guessed correct initially and I consider this a tie). And will be also giving a small set of coins to brefos77 for his great writeup and correct date (some of you obviously know more than I do about the temple 
) and to Jser because he was the only responder in the 10-49 post range. Thanks to everyone for helping make my first contest a success! Next year I plan an even bigger prize and will make question a bit more challenging (since I had three people who came up with the right answer)! I will be sending a PM to the winners shortly.
Below is a pic of part of the inscription dedicating the temple park in 2006 (that part not shown) - at the top is 1576, the date the temple was erected.
Hints: The temple wasn't built yesterday (ha-ha), but the park around it was built and officially opened last year (August 2006). The temple is a block north of Fucheng Lu, between the third ring and fourth rings on the west side and a block west of the canal near Balizhuang bridge. And I should add that the temple was built in A.D., not B.C. - China's not that old - well, ok, it is, but the temple's not.
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Posted 10/27/2007 12:54 pm
Jan 
