(1904)三十 Tael LM-180 K-933 Sml Chars MS(PCGS#115698)

September 2021 Hong Kong Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

22168

等级

MS61

价格

850,956

详细说明

Immensely Desirable Mint State Tael (t) CHINA. Hupeh. Tael, Year 30 (1904). PCGS MS-61. L&M-180; K-933; KM-Y-128.2; WS-0878. Small Characters variety. An attractive and SCARCEdollar, with decent luster and offering an even, consistent light gray tone on both sides. A few minor marks as would be expected for the grade, but nothing of real significance to distract from the overall pleasing look of the coin. One notable dark streak just south of the obverse center is actually a discoloration in the original planchet and not a mark that would hurt the grade. This is a wholesome and pleasant example of a wildly popular type that is sure to generate great bidder interest. Originally 648,000 Hupeh Taels were minted, this includes both large and small character types; however, it is unknown exactly how many of each were struck. The Hupeh Tael was introduced as part of a projected coinage reform based on the traditional Chinese weight standard, rather than the Dollar system. In the initial proposal to produce these coins, it was also suggested to produce smaller denominations in the values of 1, 2, and 5 Mace. However, no such pieces have surfaced (even in pattern form) and it is unlikely they were ever produced. The general populace found it complicated to convert two distinctly different coinage systems, especially when making change. A Hupeh Tael housed in the British museum supports this by showing evidence of cutting to make change. The British museum specimen is essentially mint state with a large pie shape section cut from the coin. The cut is in a similar manner to the "broken dollars" picture on pg. 121 figure 4.10 of Joe Cribb's reference Money in the Bank. This short lived series circulated for only a brief period and was soon after replaced by the unified Tai Ching Ti Kuo silver coinage. Although the Hupeh Tael coinage has a fairly large mintage, most were likely melted down to be made into later coinage. It is interesting to note that the Hupeh Taels were struck in 0.877 fine silver, as opposed to the 0.960 fine silver set forth by the currency regulations of 1905. Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000. Click here for certification details from PCGS. 美輪美奐湖北雙龍壹兩小字版 光緒三十年湖北省造大清銀幣庫平壹兩銀幣。 小字版，迷人的珍罕版別。光澤不俗，均匀一致的淺灰色包漿點綴兩面。留痕極輕微，與評級相符，並不礙眼。正面中央下方有一深色條紋，是原始坯餅的變色，而非影響評級的傷痕。品相完好，人氣版別，定能引起激烈競爭。包括大小字兩種的湖北一兩製作額僅 648,000 枚，兩版各自的數量不明，但大字版非常的稀少。湖北一兩是按照中國傳統計重單位的銀兩制度進行，而非以圓為單位。原來計劃中亦打算生產有五錢、二錢及一錢等面值。然而該批錢幣並未面世，就連連樣幣形式也不得見，應是從來未曾投入製作。在實際使用時，民眾發現兩種制度間的兌換十分複雜，找零的時候尤甚。大英博物館藏有一枚經過切割的湖北一兩，是用來找零的證據。該枚基本上是未流通狀態，被切割一大部份形式如同克力布所著的《匯豐銀行錢幣集藏》第141頁、圖4.10。湖北一兩流通的時間很短，隨即退出流通。雖然湖北一兩的製額頗多，大多數被回爐溶化改成其他錢幣。有趣的是湖北一兩成色是 0.877，與 1905 年(光緒三十一年)制定一兩銀幣章程時的含銀 0.960 不符。