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!
ROC, China General Omnibus Company Token,1 Cent
民國 中國公共汽車有限公司代幣一分
Item number: A108
Year: AD 1924
Material: Aluminium
Size: 21.05 x 21.01 mm
Weight: 1.85 g
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This is an aluminium token with a face value of one cent, issued in AD 1924 by the China General Omnibus Company, a British enterprise registered in British Hong Kong. It was used for public bus services in the Shanghai International Settlement.
The obverse of the coin features an image of the double-decker bus model “AEC Renown 413,” produced by the British AEC company, which was used by the company in Shanghai. Below the bus image, the company’s name is inscribed in three lines of English: “THE CHINA GENERAL OMNIBUS CO. LTD.” The reverse side of the coin displays the company’s Latin monogram logo, “J.D.S.”
Since Shanghai became a foreign concession in AD 1845, it has served as the most important gateway for contact between China and the rest of the world, becoming the most modern city in China and the first point of entry for many new things. In AD 1922, following the introduction of trams as a form of public transport in Shanghai, the “Chinese Motor Bus Co. Ltd,” operated by Chinese entrepreneur Dong Xingsheng, introduced public buses for the first time, offering Shanghai residents a new transportation option.
However, facing pressure from foreign enterprises and high taxes, Dong Xingsheng had to cease operations in October AD 1924. Seizing the opportunity, the British “China General Omnibus Company” officially began operations on October 9, AD 1924, launching the “Route No. 9” that connected Jing’an Temple to the Bund in Shanghai. This marked the first introduction of iconic British double-decker buses to Shanghai’s bustling streets. The company’s services subsequently expanded to ten routes, covering almost the entire concession area on the west bank of the Huangpu River (Puxi).
Despite the outbreak of the brutal Battle of Shanghai between Chinese and Japanese forces in AD 1937, the company continued its operations. It wasn’t until December AD 1941, with the outbreak of the Pacific War following the attack on Pearl Harbour and Japan’s declaration of war on Britain and the United States, that the company’s operations were halted as the Japanese occupied the concessions.
錢幣正面的上方,印著公司於上海使用的雙層巴士,型號為英國AEC公司生產的「AEC 聲譽 413型」輪廓。圖案的下方以三行英文標示公司商號「THE CHINA GENERAL OMNIBUS CO. LTD.」(中國公共汽車有限公司)。錢幣背面則是公司的拉丁花押商標「J.D.S」。
自公元1845年上海成為外國租界後,成為中國和外國世界接觸最為重要的窗口,和最為摩登的現代城市,成為許多新鮮事物進入中國的第一個站點。公元1922年,緊接在電車作為上海公共交通後,華商董杏生經營的「公利汽車公司」(Chinese Motor Bus Co.Ltd)首度引進公共汽車,提供上海居民不一樣的選擇。