Item number: A397

Year: AD 1939

Material: Cupronickel

Size: 19.9 x 19.9 x 1.3 mm

Weight: 3.5 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a five-cents coin issued in the sixth year of Kangde (AD 1939) by Manchukuo under Japanese control, made of cupronickel. The obverse features two symmetrically positioned three-clawed dragons flanking a flaming pearl, with the denomination “five cents” inscribed vertically between them. The surrounding design imitates the circular cloud and thunder patterns commonly found on ancient Chinese bronzeware. The reverse side showcases a budding peony in the centre, flanked by five-pointed stars on each side, with the inscriptions “Great Manchukuo” and “Kangde Year 6” indicating the country’s name and the year of issuance, respectively. The reverse border mirrors the obverse, also featuring the cloud and thunder pattern motif inspired by ancient bronzeware.

In AD 1931, the Japanese Kwantung Army initiated the Mukden Incident, seizing control of Northeast China and subsequently establishing the puppet state of Manchukuo under the former Qing emperor Puyi. In AD 1934, Japan further tightened its grip on Manchukuo’s economy by founding the Central Bank of Manchou, which was tasked with issuing and minting the currency circulating within the puppet state.

This five cents coin, made of cupronickel, was issued between the 2nd year of Datong (AD 1933) and the 7th year of Kangde (AD 1940), just before the outbreak of the Pacific War, spanning a total of seven years.

物件編號: A397

年代: 公元 1939 年

材料: 白銅

尺寸: 19.9 x 19.9 x 1.3 mm

重量: 3.5 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚康德6年(公元1939年)，受日本控制的滿洲國發行之五分，其材質為白銅。錢幣正面左右對稱的兩隻三爪龍，中間夾著一枚帶火焰的龍珠和直書面額「五分」，周圍是模仿古代青銅器的環狀雲雷紋。背面中央是含苞待放的牡丹花苞，兩側各有一顆五角星作為分界線，上、下緣寫有「大滿洲國」和「康德六年」，分別是國號和發行年份。背面周圍相仿於正面，亦是模仿古代青銅器的環狀雲雷紋。

公元1931年，日本關東軍發動「九一八事變」控制中國東北，旋即扶植前清廢帝溥儀的滿洲國魁儡政權。公元1934年，日本為進一步控制滿洲國經濟成立「滿洲中央銀行」，負責發行和鑄造在滿洲國流通的貨幣。這枚白銅製五分硬幣，其發行時間橫跨大同2年(公元1933年)至康德7年(公元1940年)，即太平洋戰爭全面爆發前夕，總計七年的光陰。