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!
Chinese Soviet Republic
1 Cent
中華蘇維埃共和國 一分
Item number: A384-1
Year: AD 1934
Material: Copper
Size: 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.9 mm
Weight: 1.8 g
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This is a one cent copper coin issued on February 5, AD 1934, by the Chinese Soviet Republic, established by the Chinese Communist Party. It was circulated in the Central Soviet Area, the largest controlled region spanning across the borders of Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. The obverse of the coin features the denomination “1” in Arabic numerals, set against the background of the CCP emblem, which consists of a hammer and sickle. Surrounding the upper edge of the coin, the country name “Chinese Soviet Republic” is inscribed from right to left.
The reverse of the coin features the denomination “one cent” written vertically in Chinese at the centre, with a five-pointed star above it. On either side, there are depictions of rice and wheat stalks tied together with a bow, symbolising the peasant class that the Chinese Communist Party aimed to appeal to.
In AD 1927, following the split between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), initially brought together through Soviet mediation, a series of armed conflicts ensued, including the April 12 Purge and the Nanchang Uprising. Under the pressure of KMT’s suppression, the CCP was forced to withdraw from major cities such as Shanghai, retreating to rural areas to establish new bases.
In AD 1931, CCP representatives gathered in Ruijin, Jiangxi, to proclaim the establishment of the “Chinese Soviet Republic” (CSR). The following year, the “Chinese Soviet Republic Central Bank” was established to issue its own currency, including one and five cent copper coins, which were products of this period. However, by AD 1934, facing the KMT’s fifth encirclement campaign, the CCP was compelled to abandon its bases in southern China and move towards Shaanxi, marking the beginning of the “Long March.” This epic journey not only solidified Mao Zedong’s position as the paramount leader but also became a legendary chapter in the CCP’s history.