No Date Medal CCC-716 Var Silver MS(PCGS#674972)

May 2022 Hong Kong World Coins Auction

拍卖行

Stack's Bowers

批号

51254

等级

MS64

价格

1,385,564

详细说明

Immeasurably Rare Commemorative Military Medal in Silver CHINA. Tuan Chih-kuei Silver Medal Silver Medal, ND (ca. 1917). Tientsin Mint. PCGS MS-64. L&M-Unlisted; K-Unlisted; KMX-Unlisted; CCC-716 var. (bronze, though attributed to Yen Hsi-shan [Yan Xishan] and to ca. 1930). Diameter: 28mm. Obverse: capped bust facing slightly left, in military attire; Reverse: Three character inscription ("commemorative medal") within wreath. Edge: Plain. An enigmatic piece, this type honors the influential Chinese general and governor in the late Qing dynasty, Tuan Chih-kuei (Duan Zhigui). Following the collapse of the empire, he served as governor of Chahar from 1912-1913, the military governor of Hupeh from 1914-1915, and a as a hybrid military/civil governor in Fengtien from 1915-1916. He was a close confidant and supporter of Yuan Shih-kai, eventually becoming Minister of War in 1917, the year after Yuan's death. Quite likely, it is during this period (1917-1919) that this commemorative medal, otherwise undescriptive of its purpose, was issued. CCC only lists this piece as being struck in bronze, with no mention of a silver striking. All the other reference works fall silent, not even mentioning a striking in bronze. Further, CCC mentions the depicted individual as Yen Hsi-shan, a fairly contemporaneous general and warlord, though facial similarities in a known photograph of Tuan Chih-kuei point toward an attribution to him as opposed to the former. Although the exact purpose of this medal's striking is not known, what is known is its IMMENSE RARITYand dazzling beauty. Wonderful details and a lovely matted luster feature prominently, with very little evidence of contact. About as RAREas any issue, coin or medal, from the Republican period, this example is a museum-worthy piece, fully deserving of strong bids from all who want to say that they own something essentially no one else can claim to. Estimate: $30,000 - $60,000. Provenance: From the Kairos Collection. To view all items from the Kairos Collection, click here. Click here for certification details from PCGS. Image with the PCGS TrueView logo is obtained from and is subject to a license agreement with Collectors Universe, Inc. and its divisions PCGS and PSA. 獨一無二銀質軍閥勳章 民國十九年段芝貴銀章。天津造幣廠。 直徑：28毫米。正面：戴帽軍裝像，臉部微微朝左；反面："紀念章"三字居中，嘉禾擁簇。光邊。神秘莫測的一枚，紀念晚清將軍段芝貴。晚清倒台後，他於1912-1913年晉升為湖北都督，1914-1915年獲封彰武上將軍，督理湖北軍務，1915-1916年任遷鎮安上將軍，督理奉天軍務兼巡按使。段芝貴支持袁世凱，在袁世凱去世後的一年，投靠段祺瑞領導的皖系，並獲封輔威上將軍。此枚紀念章雖不知其鑄製原因，但很可能是於該時期（1917-1919）發行的。 《中國銅元鑒賞》一書有述此枚以青銅鑄造，未有提及有銀質版別。其他參考書連青銅發行亦未有收錄。另外《中國銅元鑒賞》一書將此肖像歸類為閻錫山，亦是同時期的軍閥。仔細檢閱兩者的肖像特徵，此枚紀念章似是更偏向段芝貴而非閻錫山。此枚銀章有可能是用以嘉獎討伐中表現出色的官員，但這僅是推測，目前未有考證。是枚精美無比，細節銳利，啞光卓越，僅微弱的經手跡象。民國時期極其罕見的一枚，絕對是博物館級的珍品，堪稱隋珠和璧，定讓藏家珠光滿溢。