Item number: A301

Year: AD 1923

Material: Silver

Manufactured by: Tianjin Mint

Provenance: Stack’s Bowers 2024

This is a silver “Constitution Commemorative Medal” minted in the 12th year of the Republic of China (AD 1923) to commemorate the promulgation of the first constitution of the Republic of China, the “Double Ten Constitution,” during the presidency of the Zhili Clique warlord Cao Kun, who was elected amidst allegations of bribery.

The medal was minted by the Tianjin Mint, and its most notable feature is the lifelike portrayal of the individual, particularly the striking eyes. The obverse features a half-length portrait of Cao Kun, dressed in a full dress uniform of an Army General, meticulously depicting his various medals and the tassel-adorned epaulettes. Additionally, another version in civilian clothes was also produced, both intended as gifts for members of the two houses of parliament. On the reverse side are the crossed “Eighteen Stars” army flag and the “Five-Coloured Flag” national flag, with the word “Commemoration” in the centre. Additionally, at the twelve, two, four, six, eight, and ten o’clock positions on the coin’s periphery, there is a five-pointed star at each angle.

This commentative medal is embedded in a silver dish crafted by the renowned Shanghai silversmith Zee Sung, with the manufacturing period estimated to fall roughly between AD 1927 and AD 1932.

Cao Kun hailed from a humble background, having worked as a cloth merchant before joining the military. However, due to his upright character and likability among his superiors, he gradually rose from being a grassroots soldier to become a prominent general among the warlords of the Beiyang Army.

In the 11th year of the Republic (AD 1922), following the ousting of the incumbent President Hsu Shih-chang by the Zhili warlords, led by Cao Kun, a telegraph was sent nationwide by the Zhili warlords to discuss the election of a new president. On October 6th of the following year, in the presidential election where both Cao Kun and Sun Yat-sen were candidates, the new parliament overwhelmingly voted with 480 votes in favour of electing Cao Kun as the new President of the Republic of China.

However, there have been posthumous rumours alleging that Cao Kun secured his presidency through bribery, thus leaving behind the epithet of “Cao Kun’s bribery.” In AD 2017, Cao Kun’s granddaughter, Cao Jifang, residing in the United States, defended her grandfather by arguing that the so-called “bribery” was the payment of salaries owed to the legislators, and she questioned the partiality of previous interpretations, even filing lawsuits against Academia Historica and relevant organisations across the ocean.

Behind the shadow of the bribery accusations, Cao Kun, who himself was illiterate, placed significant emphasis on education. He assisted in establishing universitiy and was renowned for his generosity towards professors.

物件編號: A301

年代: 公元 1923 年

材質: 銀

製造地: 天津造幣廠

來源: SBP錢幣拍賣 2024

這是一枚民國12年(公元1923年)，在賄賂疑雲中成功當選第三任大總統的直系軍閥曹錕，為慶祝中華民國第一部憲法的《雙十憲法》頒布，所鑄造的銀質「憲法成立紀念章」。

獎章由天津造幣廠鑄造，其最大特色是人物眼睛炯炯有神。正面為身穿陸軍上將大禮服的曹錕半身像，並且詳細的復刻他獲得的各式獎章和流蘇裝飾的肩章。除此之外，亦有生產另一款西裝的版本，皆用以餽贈參眾兩院議員。獎章背面是交叉的「鐵血十八星」陸軍旗和「五色旗」國旗，於中央寫上「紀念」兩字。並在周圍的十二、二、四、八和十點鐘六個角度各有一顆五角星。

這枚紀念章被鑲嵌在上海著名銀匠時新打造的銀盤器皿上，其鑄造時間大致落在公元1927至1932年之間。

曹錕出身於清寒之家，參軍前曾作為布商遊走於市井，不過憑藉著仗義的人格特質為長官喜愛，從基層士兵逐漸攀升為直系軍閥中的一名大將。民國11年(公元1922年)，原先擔任大總統的徐世昌被直系軍閥拉下台後，曹錕為首的直系軍閥通電全國商討新任大總統選舉。隔年10月6日，這場曹錕和孫中山皆為參選人的大總統選舉中，新國會以壓倒性的480票推選曹錕為新任大總統。

不過坊間事後傳言曹錕是依靠賄選方才成功當選，至此留下「曹錕賄選」罵名。公元2017年，旅居美國的曹錕孫女曹繼方，替祖父辯駁其「賄選」實則是支付議員們被積欠的薪水，並且質疑過往詮釋的材料有偏頗，甚至向台灣的國史館和相關組織提出跨洋訴訟。而在賄選罵名的背後，文盲出身的曹錕十分注重教育事業，協助建立大學和禮遇教授廣為佳話。