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.

物件編號: A108

年代: 公元 1924 年

材料: 鋁

尺寸: 21.05 x 21.01 mm

重量: 1.85 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚公元1924年，註冊於英屬香港的英國企業「中國公共汽車有限公司」，替上海租界的公共汽車業務所發行之鋁製代幣，面額為一分。

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。

然而，董杏生後續面對外國企業和高額稅收壓力，只得於兩年後的10月歇業。英商「中國公共汽車有限公司」趁勢插旗，於公元1924年10月9日，正式營運銜接靜安寺至上海外灘的「第9號路線」，並首度將極具英倫特色的雙層巴士引入十里洋場。後續公司的業務擴增至十條線路，幾乎含括當時位於浦西的整個租界。即便面對公元1937年，中日雙方於上海展開的血腥淞滬會戰，公司仍未停止業務。直到公元1941年12月，隨著珍珠港事變爆發，日本向英美全面宣戰進駐租界為止。