Item number: A1809

Year: AD 1893

Material: Bronze

Size: 30.0 x 30.0 x 1.8 mm

Weight: 9.8 g

Manufactured by: Argentine Mint, Buenos Aries

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2014

This is a 2-cent copper coin minted and issued by the Argentine Mint in AD 1893. One hundred centavos were equivalent to one peso.

The obverse of the coin features the coat of arms of the Argentine Republic at its centre. Within the elliptical shield, two clasped hands holding the “Liberty Staff” with a Phrygian cap atop serve as a symbol of patriotism during the nineteenth-century Latin American Wars of Independence. The laurel wreath encircling the shield symbolises victory. Above, the May Sun represents freedom and emancipation, while provincial flags on either side signify unity. At the lower edges of both sides, cannons are depicted. The surrounding Latin inscription *”REPUBLICA ARGENTINA * 1893 ” denotes the Argentine Republic and the year of issuance.

The reverse of the coin bears a left-facing portrait of Lady Liberty wearing a Phrygian cap. The surrounding inscription reads “LIBERTAD * DOS CENTAVOS”, where “LIBERTAD” (Liberty) commemorates Argentina’s history of national independence, and “DOS CENTAVOS” denotes the coin’s face value. Beneath the portrait, the name “OUDINE” refers to the French sculptor Eugène André Oudiné, the coin’s designer. In AD 1831, Oudiné won the Prix de Rome in the engraving category, and his work Gladiateur blessé (Wounded Gladiator) gained widespread acclaim the same year. He later held various government positions, including roles at the Tax Administration and the Mint. His oeuvre spans sculptures, reliefs, medals, and coinage, with a prolific artistic output. In recognition of his contributions, Rue Eugène-Oudiné in Paris’ 13th arrondissement was named after him.

In 1881, during the presidency of Alejo Julio Argentino Roca Paz, following the recent conclusion of the civil war, the Argentine Republic enacted Law No. 1130, initiating a bimetallic standard reform. The “Peso Oro Sellado” (Sealed Gold Peso) was introduced as a unified monetary unit, while the “Argentino” denomination was established to reinforce central authority and to put an end to the previous state of monetary anarchy, in which multiple foreign currencies circulated freely within the country. The issuance of precious metal coins aligned Argentina with the global economy and facilitated international trade. The Argentine government placed great expectations on the new currency, commissioning the renowned sculptor Oudiné and establishing a new mint in Buenos Aires.

During President Roca’s tenure, Argentina experienced rapid economic growth, but the resulting speculative boom led to the 1890 financial crisis. In AD 1888, during the presidency of Juárez Celman, the Banco de la Plata, also known as the Argentine National Construction Bank, experienced a decline in stock value. The financial bubble, which had been driven by excessive infrastructure development, subsequently burst, leading to the bankruptcy of the National Bank. The economic crisis spread to Brazil, Uruguay, and even Britain, triggering a global economic downturn that persisted until a gradual recovery began in AD 1893.

The period between AD 1880 and 1916 in Argentina is historically referred to as the “Conservative Republic” (República Conservadora). Following the end of internal conflicts, the National Autonomist Party (Partido Autonomista Nacional, PAN) monopolised political power, manipulated elections, and established an oligarchic rule. Although this era was marked by economic prosperity and relative political stability compared to previous periods, the party suffered an electoral defeat in AD 1916, leading to its gradual dissolution.

物件編號: A1809

年代: 公元 1893 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 30.0 x 30.0 x 1.8 mm

重量: 9.8 g

製造地: 阿根廷鑄幣廠，布宜諾斯艾利斯

來源: 大城郵幣社 2014

這是一枚公元1893年，由阿根廷鑄幣廠鑄造並發行的2分銅幣。100分等於1比索。

銅幣的正面的正面中央為阿根廷共和國的國徽，中央的橢圓盾中，雙手緊握的「自由之竿」以及竿頂的「自由之帽」是十九世紀拉丁美洲解放戰爭中愛國者的標誌。月桂花環象徵勝利。上端的「五月太陽」象徵自由和解放，兩側的各省旗幟代表著團結，兩側的底部則各有一門大砲。周圍環繞著拉丁文「REPUBLICA ARGENTINA * 1893 *」，表示「阿根廷共和國」於公元1893年發行該幣。

銅幣的反面是帶著「自由之帽」的自由女神肖像，面朝左。周圍環繞著「LIBERTAD * UN CENTAVO」的字樣，「LIBERTAD 」即「解放」，為阿根廷的立國歷史的紀念。「DOS CENTAVO 」表示其面額為2分。肖像下方「OUDINE」是法國雕塑家尤金·安德烈·烏迪內(Eugéne André Oudiné)的署名。公元1831年， 烏迪內贏得法國羅馬大獎(Prix de Rome)雕刻類一等獎，同年作品《受傷的角鬥士(Gladiateur blessé)》獲得了轟動性的成功。隨後輾轉於政府單位中任職，如稅務局與鑄幣廠等。其作品涵蓋雕像、浮雕、錢幣與勳章，創作不輟，藝業等身。今日巴黎13區的歐仁-烏迪內街，便是因他得名。

公元1881年，在亞歷荷·胡利奧·阿亨蒂諾·羅加·帕斯(Alejo Julio Argentino Roca Paz)總統任內，內戰甫定，阿根廷共和國頒布第1130號法律，開始實行金銀複本位改革，並以「金印花比索(Peso Oro Sellodo)」這一單位統一貨幣計價方式，以結束先前各國貨幣自由於境內流通的無政府狀態。同時，發行貴金屬硬幣與世界經濟接軌，也有利於國際貿易。阿根廷政府對新貨幣寄予厚望，請來著名雕塑家烏迪內，並在布宜諾斯艾利斯設立新的鑄幣廠。

羅加總統任內經濟發展快速，但由此引發的投機熱潮，於公元1890年代引發了經濟危機。公元1888年，華瑞茲·塞爾曼總統任內，拉普拉塔銀行，即阿根廷國家建設銀行股價下跌，過度建設造成的金融泡沫破裂，國家銀行破產。經濟危機蔓延至巴西、烏拉圭，乃至英國，造成全球性的經濟衰退，直至公元1893後才逐漸恢復。

公元1880至1916年的阿根廷，史稱「保守共和國(República Conservadora)」，內戰結束後，由民族自治黨(Partido Autonomista Nacional)壟斷權力，操縱選舉，進行寡頭統治。儘管這段時期經濟繁榮，政治也較先前穩定，但公元1916年選舉失利後，民族自治黨逐漸解散。