Item number: A2859

Year: AD 1934

Material: Copper

Size: 31.5 x 31.5 mm

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2020

This is a 500-cash copper coin minted in AD 1934 (23rd year of the Republic of China) by the Fourth Front Army of the Chinese Red Army under the leadership of Zhang Guotao. It was independently produced within the Sichuan–Shaanxi Soviet Area, a Communist-controlled revolutionary base on the border between Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces.

The obverse of the coin features a central five-pointed star encircled by rice stalks, with a hammer and sickle emblem at its core symbolising the unity of workers and peasants. Surrounding this motif is a larger five-pointed star, around which appears the prominent slogan of international communism in Chinese characters: “Workers of the world, unite!” (全世界無產階級聯合起來). The year of issue, “1934” (一九三四年), is inscribed along the lower edge. This coin type is further classified into two variants based on the form of the character 聯 (“unite”), distinguishing between simplified and traditional script versions.

The reverse of the coin features a solid central circle enclosing the denomination “500” in Arabic numerals. Encircling the top edge outside the circle is the inscription “川陝省蘇維埃造” (“Issued by the Soviet Government of Sichuan–Shaanxi Province”). Near the lower edge, a five-pointed star appears on each side, flanking the inscription “五百文” (“Five Hundred Cash”) in Chinese characters along the bottom.

In AD 1932 (the 21st year of the Republic of China), in response to military offensives launched by Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Government against various Communist-controlled areas, Zhang Guotao led the Fourth Front Army of the Chinese Red Army in a westward breakout from the Dabie Mountains base area, located at the junction of Hubei, Henan, and Anhui provinces. After defeating local warlord forces in Sichuan, Zhang established a new revolutionary base along the Sichuan–Shaanxi border. During his control of this region, he established the “Workers’ and Peasants’ Bank of the Soviet Government of Sichuan–Shaanxi Province” in Tongjiang County, utilising minting machinery seized from warlords to independently issue currency. Among the coinage were copper coins in denominations of 200 and 500 cash, along with supplementary currencies including cloth notes, paper banknotes, and silver coins.

In AD 1935 (the 24th year of the Republic of China), facing successive military offensives from both regional warlords and the Nationalist Government, Zhang Guotao was forced to abandon the Sichuan–Shaanxi Soviet base and continue his retreat. During this period, tensions escalated between Zhang and Mao Zedong, whose political influence within the Communist Party was steadily rising. The main force of Zhang’s Fourth Front Army was largely annihilated by Muslim warlord troops in Gansu while attempting to advance toward Xinjiang. Only a small contingent, including Zhang himself, successfully reached Yan’an and reunited with Mao. In AD 1938 (the 27th year of the Republic), Zhang Guotao, having been marginalised within the Party, defected to the Nationalist Government. He spent his later years in exile and died in Toronto, Canada.

物件編號: A2859

年代: 公元 1934 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 31.5 x 31.5 mm

來源: 福君錢幣 2020

這是一枚民國23年 (公元1934年)，張國燾領導的紅四方面軍在四川和陝西交界的「川陝蘇維埃」自行鑄造的面額500文銅錢。

錢幣正面的正中央是稻穗環繞的五角星和象徵工農的鐮刀鎚頭。外圍有一枚五角星，周遭以漢字環繞國際共產主義的重要口號「全世界無產階級聯合起來」，下緣則是發行年份「一九三四年」。該款錢幣根據「聯」的字形，又能再細分為「簡體字」和「繁體字」兩種版別。

錢幣背面的正中央有一道實心圓，裡面以阿拉伯數字標示面額「500」。圓圈外的上緣打印「川陝省蘇維埃造」，靠近下緣的左右兩側各有一枚五角星，下緣以漢字標示面額「五百文」。

民國21年 (公元1932年)，面對蔣介石領導的國民政府對於各個中國共產黨控制區發起進攻。張國燾領導的紅四方面軍從鄂豫皖三省接壤的大別山根據地向西突圍，最終打敗四川當地的軍閥在四川和陝西邊境建立新根據地。張國燾盤踞在川陝根據地期間，於通江縣利用從軍閥手中搶奪的造幣機械成立「川陝省蘇維埃政府工農銀行」自行發行錢幣，發行的銅幣有200文和500文兩種面額，亦有發行布鈔、紙鈔和銀幣等其他貨幣。

民國24年 (公元1935年)，面對軍閥和國民政府的輪番進攻，張國燾被迫放棄川陝根據地繼續逃竄，並且在過程中跟黨內地位逐漸升高的毛澤東發生摩擦。最終紅四方面軍的主力多半在前往新疆的途中遭到甘肅穆斯林軍閥殲滅，僅有張國燾等少部分人成功前往延安跟毛澤東會合。民國27年 (公元1938年)，黨內地位遭到邊緣化的張國燾叛逃至國民政府，晚年逝世於加拿大多倫多。