Item number: A1267

Year: AD 1901

Material: Silver

Size: 32.0 x 32.0 mm

Manufactured by: Chengdu Mint, Szechuen

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2024

This is a “Guangxu Yuanbao” silver coin, minted in the 26th year of the Guangxu reign (AD 1901) at the Chengdu Mint, produced in large quantities using mechanised minting techniques. The denomination is 3 Mace and 6 Candareens.

The obverse of the coin features a front-facing coiled dragon, though much of the fine detailing on the scales has worn away. The border is divided on the left and right by four-petal floral motifs. Along the upper edge, the text “SZE CHUEN PROVINCE” is printed in Wade-Giles Romanisation, while the denomination “3 MACE AND 6 CANDAREENS” is inscribed along the lower edge.

The reverse of the coin features two distinct beaded circles. Inside the inner circle, the characters “Guangxu Yuanbao” are printed in a top, bottom, left, and right arrangement. At the centre is the Manchu script for “Guangxu Yuanbao,” though the details have become unclear over time. The outer circle is divided on the left and right by four-petal floral motifs. Along the upper edge, the text “Szechuen Province Minted” is inscribed in Chinese, while the denomination “Kuping 3 Mace 6 Candareens” is printed along the lower edge.

The use of machine-struck silver coins in Szechuen began in the 22nd year of the Guangxu era (AD 1896). At that time, Governor Lu Chuanlin introduced the trial use of machine-struck silver coins in Chongqing, a commercially developed area, based on successful trials conducted in Hubei and Fujian. After observing the positive results, he petitioned the imperial court to establish a local mint in Szechuen. The mint in Szechuen used moulds imported from the Philadelphia Mint in the United States, while the construction of the mint building and the machinery were provided by the Ferracute Machine Company of the U.S. The construction of the mint was completed in the 24th year of the Guangxu era (AD 1898), and mass production officially began in the 26th year of Guangxu (AD 1901), making it the most important mint inSzechuen during the modern period.

物件編號: A1267

年代: 公元 1901 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 32.0 x 32.0 mm

製造地: 成都造幣廠，四川

來源: 福君錢幣 2024

這是一枚光緒26年 (公元1901年)，成都造幣廠正式量產的機鑄「光緒元寶」銀幣，面額為三錢六分。

錢幣正面是一隻正面的蟠龍，鱗片細節多已遭到磨蝕。外圍的左右兩側以四瓣花飾為分界，上緣以威妥瑪拼音打印英文「SZE CHUEN PROVINCE」(四川省)，下緣為面額「3 MACE AND 6 CANDAREENS」(三錢六分) 字樣。

錢幣背面有兩道明顯的珠圈，裏面那一圈按上、下、右、左順序打印漢字「光緒元寶」，正中央則是光緒元寶一詞的滿文但細節已不甚清楚。錢幣外圈的左右兩側亦以四瓣花飾為分界，上緣為漢字「四川省造」，下緣為面額「庫平三錢六分」字樣。

四川機鑄銀幣的使用源於光緒22年(公元1896年)，時任總督的鹿傳霖先在商業較為發達的重慶引進湖北和福建的機鑄銀幣試用，發現效果不錯向朝廷上奏在四川就地建立造幣廠。四川造幣廠使用的模具來自美國費城造幣廠，廠房的建設和機器則來自美國「漢立克納浦機器公司」。廠房於光緒24年(公元1898年)竣工，並且於光緒26年 (公元1901年)正式投入量產，成為四川近代最重要的造幣廠。