Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事！
Qing Dynasty, 5 Cents,
Guangxu 25th year,
Fengtian Arsenal
Item number: A161
Year: AD 1899
Material: Silver
Size: 15 x 15 mm
Manufactured by: Fengtian, Fengtian Arsenal
Provenance: Noonans 2022
The coin is a 5 cents denomination silver coin minted by the Fengtian Arsenal in the 25th year of the Guangxu reign (AD 1899). The obverse side features a five-clawed dragon with a spiral cloud pattern emanating from its mouth. Surrounding the dragon in a counterclockwise direction are inscriptions indicating the minting year and location, with a distinction from other denominations (such as one dollar and 50 cents) which bear the inscription “Fengtian Arsenal”; instead, this coin specifies “Fengtian Province”. On the reverse side of the coin, there is a beaded circle, with the denomination “5 cents” inscribed in Chinese characters in the centre. Surrounding the beaded circle in Manchu script is the inscription “Made by Fengtian Arsenal of the Great Qing.”
The Fengtian Arsenal was established in the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign (AD 1896). Its minting activities spanned the late Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China era, the puppet state of Manchukuo, and the PRC regime, representing a significant period in 20th-century Chinese history. Undergoing several name changes, it is now known as the “Shenyang Mint Co., Ltd.,” directly affiliated with the People’s Bank of China. The coin moulds for the “Guangxu 25th year” series inherited the moulds from the “Guangxu 24th year” produced in Fengtian Province. The significance of this mould in the minting history of Fengtian Province lies in its departure from the traditional Qing practise of indicating denomination based on weight (“Kuping”) and adopting a system based on face value (“One dollar,” “50 cents,” and “5 cents”). However, in the 29th year of Guangxu’s reign (AD 1903), the mint reverted to indicating denomination based on weight.
