Item number: A1413

Year: AD 1900-1945

Material: Brass

Size: 32.8 x 32.8 x 1.0 mm

Weight: 8.55 g

Provenance: CGB Numismatics Paris 2024

This is a token issued in the first half of the 20th century by the Nam Fong Club, an entertainment establishment located in the French Concession of Tianjin. However, some sources suggest it may also originate from a club in Northern California, USA. The token exists in three shapes—circular, octagonal, and plum blossom—with this example being the circular version.

The design on both sides of the token is identical, featuring a beaded border arranged within a track along the outer edge. At the centre of the concentric circles, the name “南方” is inscribed in Chinese, along with its English equivalent, “NAM FONG CLUB.” Upon close observation, it becomes apparent that the concentric circles are not perfectly centred but are slightly offset toward one side.

The Tianjin French Concession was established in AD 1861, one of four French concessions in China (the others being in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hankou). In addition to the French concession, Tianjin hosted concessions from eight other countries. Geographically situated in the southern part of Tianjin, the French concession became renowned for its thriving entertainment industry. During World War II, in AD 1943, the Vichy French government agreed to relinquish its concessions in China, transferring them to the Wang Jingwei regime, which was aligned with the Axis powers. After the war ended in AD 1945, the Republic of China, as a victorious Allied power, officially reclaimed the concessions, bringing an end to French colonial presence in Tianjin.

物件編號: A1413

年代: 公元 1900-1945 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 32.8 x 32.8 x 1.0 mm

重量: 8.55 g

來源: 巴黎硬幣收藏公司 2024

這是一枚公元20世紀上半葉，設立於天津法租界的娛樂場所「南方俱樂部」(Nam Fong Club) 發行的代幣，但也有美國加州北部的俱樂部一說。按照形狀存在圓形、八邊形和梅花三種版本，該物件為圓形版本。

代幣正反兩面的設計無異，外圍皆有一圈在軌道內排列的珠圈。正中央的同心圓內，則以漢字標示「南方」和英文標示「NAM FONG CLUB」(南方俱樂部)。若仔細觀察同心圓的位置，能發現同心圓並非坐落於正中央，而是較為偏向其中一側。

天津法租界成立於公元1861年，為法國在華的四個租界之一 (上海、天津、廣州、漢口)。天津一地除了有法國租界之外，尚有其他八個國家一同在此地設有租界。法租界在天津的地理位置偏向南方，以發達的娛樂產業著名。公元1943年，第二次世界大戰期間，法國維琪政府同意放棄在華租界，將其歸還給同樣是軸心國陣營的汪精衛政權。公元1945年，第二次世界大戰結束後，作為戰勝國的國民政府再次宣布正式收回租界，結束法國對於天津的殖民歷史。