Item number: A1693

Year: AD 1890

Material: Silver (.800)

Size: 30.0 x 30.0 mm

Weight: 13.57 g

Manufactured by: The Mint Birmingham Ld.

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2014

This is a 50-cent silver coin, minted by the Birmingham Mint and issued by the Straits Settlements. One hundred cents were equivalent to one Spanish 8 real silver coin, one Mexican silver peso, or one Philippine silver peso.

The obverse features a left-facing portrait of Queen Victoria, wearing the George IV State Diadem, with her hair tied in a bun. The encircling inscription reads “VICTORIA QUEEN”. The portrait was designed by Leonard Charles Wyon, the Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint from AD 1851 to 1893. In AD 1860, Wyon was commissioned to design new lower-denomination coinage, and the bun hairstyle featured in his design was personally chosen by Queen Victoria. The resulting coinage became popularly known among the public as the “Bun Penny”. The original design was highly detailed, but due to excessive die wear, it was soon modified into a less intricate version. The letter “H” beneath the portrait signifies that the coin was minted by the Birmingham Mint, formerly known as Heaton and Sons Co.. The company was founded in 1850 by engineer Ralph Heaton, continuing his family’s metalworking tradition. Throughout the 19th century, the Birmingham Mint both competed and collaborated with the Royal Mint, securing international orders for coinage production. However, as various nations centralised their currency issuance and adopted the gold standard, the Birmingham Mint faced increasing challenges. By AD 2003, due to financial difficulties, the company declared bankruptcy, with only a limited portion of its operations continuing.

The reverse of the coin displays the denomination “50” at the centre, accompanied by “FIFTY CENTS” below it. The inscription “STRAITS SETTLEMENTS” appears at the top, indicating the issuing authority, while the year “1890” marks the year of issue.

The Straits Settlements were originally established in AD 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company. The colony initially comprised Penang, Singapore, Malacca, and Dinding, with Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Labuan later coming under the administration of the Governor of the Straits Settlements. Among the local Chinese community, the Straits Settlements were colloquially referred to as “San Chow Fu” (Three States Prefecture) or “Lé Yú Jiā” (叻嶼呷), derived from Singapore (Shílàbù), Penang (Bīnlángyǔ), and Malacca (Mǎliùjiǎ). In 1867, the Straits Settlements were formally transferred to direct British rule as a Crown Colony, administered by a Governor appointed from London, who also typically held the position of High Commissioner for the various British dependencies, autonomous territories, and protectorates in the British East Indies. During the Pacific War, which began in AD 1941, Japanese forces occupied numerous British territories in the region. After the war, in AD 1946, the Straits Settlements were dissolved, with its territories reassigned to different administrative jurisdictions.

Initially, the Straits Settlements adopted the Indian rupee as a standard currency for administrative convenience. However, due to the demands of trade, the rupee proved inadequate and was less widely accepted in East Asia compared to the “Spanish dollar” (佛洋), referring to Spanish silver coins. In AD 1845, after obtaining the right to mint copper coinage, the Straits Settlements issued its first series of bronze coins. By AD 1886, due to a shortage of Spanish silver coins, a 50-cent silver coin was introduced. In AD 1897, the colony implemented a currency board system, establishing the Board of Commissioners of Currency, which monopolised coinage and banknote issuance, replacing the previous free circulation of multiple foreign currencies. Following the enactment of the 1899 Currency Ordinance, the Board began issuing Straits Settlements currency, and banks were prohibited from issuing their own banknotes upon the expiry of their charters. Among the Chinese communities in Singapore and Malaya, the Straits dollar became known as “Lé Bì” (叻幣) or “Lé Yú Jiā Treasury Notes” (叻嶼呷國庫銀票). In AD 1940, the Straits dollar was officially replaced by the Malayan dollar.

物件編號: A1693

年代: 公元 1890 年

材質: 銀 (800‰)

尺寸: 30.0 x 30.0 mm

重量: 13.57 g

製造地: 伯明罕鑄幣公司

來源: 大城郵幣社 2014

這是一枚由伯明罕鑄幣公司鑄造，海峽殖民地發行之50分銀幣。100分等於1西班牙8里爾銀幣，或1墨西哥銀披索，或1菲律賓銀披索。

銀幣正面為維多利亞女王的左側肖像，頭戴喬治四世王冠，髮尾盤結成髻。周圍環繞「VICTORIA QUEEN」，即「維多利亞女王」。女王肖像為英國皇家鑄幣廠首席雕刻師，利奧納德·查爾斯·懷恩(Leonard Charles Wyon)的設計，其於公元1851年至1893年在任。公元1860年，懷恩受命為小面額貨幣設計新方案，其中髮髻設計被女王親自選中，發行後被民眾暱稱為「髮髻便士」。圖案最初非常細緻，但也導致鑄模的耗損過高，很快的改為細節較模糊的形式。下方之「H」，為伯明罕鑄幣公司(原名希頓公司Heaton and Sons Co.)的註記。該公司由工程師拉爾夫·希頓於公元1850年創立，繼承其家族的金屬加工業傳統，與皇家鑄幣廠既競爭又合作。19世紀末，伯明罕鑄幣公司仍活躍於國際市場，承接各國政府訂單，但在各國鑄幣廠集中其貨幣發行權，進行金本位改革的背景下，逐漸顯出頹勢。公元2003年，該公司因財務困難而破產，只剩少數業務繼續運營。

銀幣背面中央為「50」，與下方「FIFTY CENTS」一同標示了面額。上方「STRAITS SETTLEMENTS」即「海峽殖民地」。「1890」標示了發行年。

海峽殖民地最初於公元1826 年建立，是英國東印度公司所控制領土的一部分，最初包括檳城、新加坡、馬六甲和丁丁，聖誕島、科科斯(基林)群島與納閩島後亦由海峽殖民地總督管理。於當地華人間，因新加坡(石叻埠)、檳城(檳榔嶼)和麻六甲(嗎六呷)而簡稱為三州府或者叻嶼呷。公元1867 年起，作為直轄殖民地直接受倫敦控制。海峽殖民地由倫敦派任之總督治理，通常兼任英屬東印度群島各屬邦、自治領、保護國的高級專員。公元1941年，太平洋戰爭期間，日軍攻佔英屬東印度諸多地區。戰後，公元1946年，殖民地解散，屬地劃歸各國管理。

海峽殖民地最初由於方便管理，一體適用英屬印度盧比。後由於貿易需求，盧比不敷使用，在東亞的接受度遠不如「佛洋」，即西班牙銀幣。公元1845年，海峽殖民地獲得銅幣製造權後，首批銅幣發行，其中包括1分銅幣。公元1886年，由於西班牙銀幣短缺，發行面額50分的銀幣。公元1897年，海峽殖民地引進貨幣局製度，並成立貨幣委員會，壟斷鑄幣與發鈔權，發行海峽殖民地元，簡稱海峽元，此前各國貨幣多元流通的情況終結。公元1899 年《貨幣條例》頒布後，委員會開始發行海峽殖民地貨幣，銀行在其特許狀到期後被禁止自行發行紙幣。海峽元在新馬華人間被稱為叻嶼呷國庫銀票，又簡稱為「叻幣」。公元1940年，海峽元被馬來亞元所取代。