Item number: A270

Year: AD 1949

Material: Silver

Size: 38.8 x 38.8 mm

Manufactured by: Philadelphia Mint

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2024

This is a one-yuan silver coin that was re-minted by the Philadelphia Mint in the 38th year of the Republic of China (AD 1949), using the mold from the original coin minted in the 23rd year of the Republic of China (AD 1934) by the Central Mint in Shanghai.

The obverse features a left-side portrait of Sun Yat-sen, which was selected after the Nanjing National Government, unifying the nation in the 18th year of the Republic of China (AD 1929), solicited designs from five countries: the United States, Great Britain, Austria, Italy, and Japan. The design chosen was the Italian version. Above the portrait of Sun Yat-sen is inscribed the year of minting, “The 23rd Year of the Republic of China”. The reverse showcases a design by Clifford Hewitt, an American technician at the mint, depicting a traditional Chinese junk with two masts, and the denomination “One Yuan” is inscribed on both sides.

The one-yuan silver coin, colloquially known as “Junk Silver,” bears witness to the efforts of the Nanjing National Government, following its unification of China after the Northern Expedition, to end the currency chaos that had persisted since the late Qing Dynasty by promoting the “Tael Altered into Dollar” monetary reform based on a silver standard. Beginning in the 17th year of the Republic of China (AD 1928), the reform was significantly advanced by the Central Mint in Shanghai, which had been restructured from the Shanghai Mint.

Before the enactment of the “Silver Standard Currency Minting Regulation” by the Nationalist Government in March of the 22nd year of the Republic of China (AD 1933), the Central Mint had already begun minting the one-yuan silver coins featuring Sun Yat-sen and a junk in the previous year. However, the “Republic of China Year 21 version” of the coin, with its reverse design including the rising sun and three flying birds, was interpreted by outsiders as symbolising Japan, which was invading China at the time, and the loss of the three northeastern provinces. Therefore, from the 22nd year of the Republic of China (AD 1933), the design of the rising sun and flying birds was removed from the reverse of the one-yuan coin, retaining only the junk design.

In the 24th year of the Republic of China (AD 1935), in response to the cessation of the gold standard, the Nationalist Government stopped minting the “Junk Silver” coins. There were three editions released in succession: “Republic of China Year 22,” “Republic of China Year 23,” and “Republic of China Year 24,” with a total issuance of approximately 147.44 million coins. The “Republic of China Year 23” edition had the highest circulation, with about 70.95 million coins minted.

Interestingly, in July of the 38th year of the Republic of China (AD 1949), as the Nationalist Government relocated to Guangzhou to salvage the chaos surrounding the Gold Yuan Certificates, it commissioned the Philadelphia Mint in the United States to re-mint 30 million one-yuan silver coins using the “Republic of China Year 23” design. However, this effort was unable to reverse the tide of the Civil War between the Nationalists and the Communists.

物件編號: A270

年代: 公元 1949 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 38.8 x 38.8 mm

製造地: 費城造幣廠

來源: 福君錢幣 2024

這是一枚以民國23年(公元1934年)上海「中央造幣廠」鑄造的模具為範本，於民國38年(公元1949年)委託費城造幣廠再鑄造的壹圓銀幣。硬幣正面是民國18年(公元1929年)，統一全國的南京國民政府為新鑄造國幣，向「美、英、奧、義、日」五國徵求設計後，最後雀屏中選的義大利版別孫中山左側肖像。孫中山像上方有鑄造年份「中華民國二十三年」字樣。背面則是造幣廠的美國技師克里夫·赫维特，他設計的中式雙桅木船圖案，並於兩側刻有面額「壹圓」。

該枚民間俗稱為「船洋」的壹圓銀幣，見證南京國民政府在北伐統一後，為終結清末以來的幣值混亂，推動以銀本位基礎的「廢兩改元」幣值統一改革。民國17年(公元1928年)起，改制於上海造幣廠的中央造幣廠即扮演前述改革的重要角色。早在民國22年(公元1933年)3月，國民政府通過立法《銀本位幣鑄造條例》前夕，中央造幣廠於前一年即開始鑄造孫中山和帆船像的壹圓銀幣。然而該款「民國二十一年版」銀幣，背面圖案設計帶有旭日和三隻飛鳥圖案，遭外界解讀為彼時入侵中國的日本和失去的東北三省。故民國22年(公元1933年)起，取消壹圓背面的旭日和飛鳥僅保留帆船圖案。

民國24年(公元1935年)，國民政府為響應金本位推動「法幣改革」停止鑄造「船洋」為止，先後有「民國二十二年」、「民國二十三年」和「民國二十四年」三種版別，總發行量達到1億4744萬枚，最多的「民國二十三年」發行量就達到7095萬枚左右之譜。

有趣的是，後續民國38年(公元1949年)7月，遷避廣州的國民政府為挽救金圓券的亂局，曾委託美國費城造幣廠以「民國二十三年」模板再鑄3000萬枚的壹圓銀幣，但隨著國共內戰的頹勢早已回天乏術。