Item number: A401

Year: AD 1944

Material: Nickel aluminide

Size: 15.9 x 15.9 x 1.3 mm

Weight: 0.6 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a one-cent coin issued in the eleventh year of Kangde (AD 1944) under the control of Japan in Manchukuo. Starting from the 7th year of Kangde (AD 1940), Manchukuo began minting coins using a lighter and thinner nickel aluminide instead of cupronickel. This change reflects the metal shortages faced by Japanese-controlled territories, including Manchukuo, due to the ongoing Second Sino-Japanese War and the subsequent Pacific War.

In the 12th year of Kangde (AD 1945), as the war situation further deteriorated, Manchukuo began minting coins using the more affordable magnesium oxide.

The coin’s obverse edge is encircled by a beaded border. At the centre, there are symmetrical auspicious clouds flanking an octagonal motif, with the denomination “one cent” on either side. On the reverse, the denomination “11” is prominently displayed in Arabic numerals at the center, with a single dot on each side serving as a divider. At the upper and lower edges, it is inscribed with “Empire of Manchukuo” and “Kangde Eleventh Year,” representing the country name and the year of issue, respectively. Unfortunately, due to the passage of time, the inscriptions are no longer clearly legible. Similar to the obverse side, the reverse side is also decorated with a beaded border around the edge.

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.

物件編號: A401

年代: 公元 1944 年

材料: 鋁化鎳

尺寸: 15.9 x 15.9 x 1.3 mm

重量: 0.6 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11年(公元1944年)，受日本控制的滿洲國發行之壹分。自康德7年(公元1940年)起，滿洲國以更加輕薄的鋁化鎳取代白銅鑄造硬幣。側面反映中日戰爭和後續太平洋戰爭的爆發，滿洲國在內的日本控制區面臨的金屬短缺問題。康德12年(公元1945年)，隨著戰局進一步的惡化，滿洲國開始以更廉價的氧化鎂鑄造硬幣。

錢幣正面的邊緣以珠圈環繞，中央是上下對稱的祥雲，夾著一個八邊形圖騰，兩側則是面額「壹分」。背面中央以阿拉伯數字「1」標示面額，左右兩側各以一粒圓點作為分界線。上、下緣寫有「滿洲帝國」和「康德十一年」，分別是國號和發行年份，惜因年代久遠字跡已經不甚清晰。背面同正面一樣，周圍也以環狀的珠圈作為裝飾。

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。