Jianquan Coin Museum is the first private museum in China to focus on coins. It is also the first private museum in China to gain membership of the International Council of Museums. The first branch of the museum was established in 2002 in Xi'an, and there are now three additional branches in Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen. Each museum has its own characteristics. For example, the Beijing branch features more than 6,000 types of coins, ranging from money cowry (shell money) from the Neolithic Age to paper money from the Republic of China era. The Xiamen branch focuses on currency which features the characteristics of southern Fujian.