| Sovereign Rarities Ltd > Auction 11 | Auction date: 16 November 2023 |
| Lot number: 244 Price realized: Unsold | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: China, Fengtien Province, Guangxu (1875-1908), silver Yuan or Dollar, Year 24 (1898), denomination 一圓 centre surrounded by inscription FUNG-TIEN PROVINCE between two beaded borders, Manchu legend ᡩᠠᡳᠴᡳᠩ ᡤᡠᡵᡠᠨ ᡳ᠋ ᠪᠠᡩᠠᡵᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᡳ᠋ ᠣᡵᡳᠨ ᡩᡠᡳᠴᡳ ᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠ ᠠᠪᡴᠠᡳ ᡳᠮᡳᠶᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡨᡝᡨᡠᠨ ᡧᡠᡵᡩᡝᡵᡝ ᡴᡡᠸᠠᡵᠠᠨ ᠸᡝᡳᡵᡝᡥᡝ surrounding, rev. ornate dragon with pearl centre, Chinese legend 清大/造局器械天奉年四十二緒光 surrounding, edge milled (KM Y.87; Kann 244; L&M 471). Previously graded by NGC as AU Details, Reverse Cleaned, since removed from holder and conserved. Previous NGC Certification 6358926-014 (now removed from this holder, but the images can be consulted on the NGC website). The Manchu and Chinese legends translate as "The Great Qing. Made in Year 24 of Emperor Guangxu by the equipment transferred to the Fengtien Arsenal." The Fengtien Arsenal, or to give it it's official name, the Fengtien Machine Bureau, was created in late 1897 following the First Sino-Japanese War under the orders of General Iktangga, the Governor of Fengtien Province at the time. Though a large part of Fengtien (Liaoning) remained unoccupied, key settlements in the Beiyang peninsula were under Japanese and Russian colonial rule. Colloquially known as the Arsenal due to its location within the Japanese garrison at Mukden, the Bureau's aim was to modernise the coinage of the province. Early dies and machinery were brought in from the German-run mint in nearby Tianjin, as well as additional equipment from the Hwaining (Anqing) mint in Anhwei Province. These dies were mainly used for smaller denominations of Mace and Candareens, with dollars essentially copying the design of the common Kwantung dollar. The first original designs entered circulation in 1898, and featured a reverse with the local Manchu script, emulating the style of traditional Beiyang coins that already circulated in the region. Interestingly, despite being struck under the auspices of Japan, the coinage of Fengtien Province continued to be issued in the name of the Qing Emperor Guangxu for the remainder of his reign. x This item is subject to 5% import duty. Starting price: 5800 GBP |  |
