Item number: A2924

Year: AD 1942

Material: Aluminium

Size: 22.0 x 22.0 x 1.3 mm

Weight: 1.2 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a 1-dime aluminium coin issued in the 31st year of the Republic of China Year (AD 1942) by the Japanese puppet regime known as the North China Political Affairs Commission, which was established in the North China region. This coin was part of a series that also included denominations of 1 cent and 5 cents.

The obverse of the coin features a beaded border around the edge. At the centre is the emblem of the issuing authority, the United Reserve Bank (中國聯合準備銀行). On either side of the emblem are four-pointed stars serving as decorative separators. The upper arc bears the inscription “中國聯合準備銀行” (United Reserve Bank) in Chinese characters, while the lower arc displays the year of issue: “Republic of China Year 31” (AD 1942).

The reverse of the coin is decorated with a square-toothed border around the edge. At the centre is an image of the Temple of Heaven, a prominent landmark in Beijing where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties performed rites to heaven in prayer for national prosperity and peace. Flanking the temple on both sides are Chinese characters indicating the denomination: “壹角” (One Dime).

The predecessor of the North China Political Affairs Commission was the Provisional Government of the Republic of China, established on December 14, AD 1937, in Beijing by the invading Japanese forces, with Wang Kemin installed as its head. This government exercised jurisdiction over the areas of North China occupied by the Japanese military. On March 30, AD 1940, the Provisional Government was formally incorporated into the Wang Jingwei regime—a puppet government established by Japan in Nanjing—and reorganised as the North China Political Affairs Commission. However, in practise, it remained beyond Wang Jingwei’s direct control until the defeat of Japan at the end of the war.

The United Reserve Bank was established on March 1, AD 1938, with a mandate that included assisting the Japanese in extracting resources and wealth from the occupied territories. Although it issued a limited number of aluminium coins, its primary function was the issuance of banknotes. Following Japan’s defeat in World War II, the United Reserve Bank was formally taken over and dissolved by the Nationalist Government of China on October 17, AD 1945.

物件編號: A2924

年代: 公元 1942 年

材質: 鋁

尺寸: 22.0 x 22.0 x 1.3 mm

重量: 1.2 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚民國31年 (公元1942年)，成立於華北地區的日本傀儡政權「華北政務委員會」流通的壹角鋁幣，該系列尚有壹分和伍分面額。

錢幣正面的周圍有一道珠圈圍繞，正中央的圖案是貨幣發行單位「中國聯合準備銀行」行徽，行徽左右兩側以四芒星作為分界，上緣以漢字打印「中國聯合準備銀行」，下緣則是發行年份「中華民國三十一年」。

錢幣背面的周圍以方形齒邊作為裝飾，中間的圖案是北京重要地標，即明清兩代皇帝祭祀神明祈求國泰民安的「天壇」，天壇左右兩側以漢字標示面額「壹角」。

華北政務委員會前身是公元1937年12月14日，侵華日軍找來以王克敏為首的合作對象在北京成立之「中華民國臨時政府」，其管轄區域為日軍佔領的華北地區。公元1940年3月30日，臨時政府併入日本在南京扶植的汪精衛政權改制為「華北政務委員會」，不過實質上仍不受到汪精衛的控制直到日本戰敗為止。

中國聯合銀行成立於公元1938年3月1日，其使命亦包含協助日本收刮佔領區的物資和財富。中國聯合銀行發行鋁幣之虞，主要以發行紙鈔為主。公元1945年10月17日，中國聯合銀行隨著日本戰敗，正式由國民政府接收和解散。