(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

22167

等级

MS62

价格

696,237

详细说明

Popular Short-lived Hupeh Tael (t) CHINA. Hupeh. Tael, Year 30 (1904). NGC MS-62. L&M-180; K-933; KM-Y-128.2; WS-0878. Small Characters variety. This nicely preserved survivor of the ever-popular Hupeh Tael exhibits boldly struck devices and satiny surfaces with a nice cartwheel effect. A thin veneer of champagne tone pops out when rotated in the light with areas of richer coloration throughout. 648,000 Hupeh Taels were originally minted, inclusive of both large and small character types; however, it is unknown exactly how many of each were struck. This Tael was introduced as part of a projected coinage reform based upon 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. This 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 these 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: $50,000 - $70,000. Click here for certification details from NGC. 短暫流通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。保存佳，深受藏家喜愛。圖文鑄打深刻，綢緞幣面可見車輪光。香檳色薄包漿在燈光下流轉，局部色澤更深。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。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。