Item number: A2935

Year: AD 1937

Material: Copper

Size: 22.9 x 22.9 x 1.6 mm

Weight: 5.05 g

Manufactured by: Osaka Mint

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a 1-cent copper coin issued in the 26th year of the Republic of China (AD 1937) by the East Hebei Anti-Communist Autonomous Government, a puppet regime established by Japan during its efforts to expand influence in North China under the guise of promoting regional autonomy.

The obverse of the coin features two concentric beaded borders. Within the innermost circle, the central design is divided into two sections: the upper right displays the Five-Coloured Flag, a symbol of the Republic of China that had been retained from the Beiyang Government era and adopted by the East Hebei Government; the lower left shows a neatly arranged cluster of 22 stars, representing the 22 counties and cities under the regime’s jurisdiction. On the outer ring, five-pointed stars are placed on both the left and right sides as decorative separators. The upper arc bears the inscription “冀東政府” (East Hebei Government), while the lower arc shows the year of issue: “中華民國二十六年” (Republic of China Year 26).

The reverse of the coin features a beaded border around the edge as decoration. At the centre is a design of a pair of knotted wheat stalks, symbolising agricultural prosperity. Superimposed at the centre is the denomination “壹分” (One Cent), written vertically in Chinese script.

Japan did not cease its expansionist ambitions in China following the establishment of Manchukuo, but instead continued to extend its influence in North China through military, economic, and political means. On November 24, AD 1935, using the demilitarised zone established under the Tanggu Truce as a foothold, Japan supported the installation of Yin Rugeng as the head of the East Hebei Anti-Communist Autonomous Government, a puppet regime under Japanese control.

However, with the outbreak of full-scale war between China and Japan following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, tensions escalated. On July 29, AD 1937, security forces under the East Hebei Government, angered by a mistaken Japanese airstrike and emboldened by the broader hostilities, launched attacks against Japanese troops and civilians in the area. This episode, known as the Tongzhou Incident, was quickly suppressed by the Japanese military.

In the aftermath of the incident, Japan lost confidence in the East Hebei regime. Yin Rugeng was forced to step down, and on December 14 of the same year, the East Hebei Government was merged into the Provisional Government of the Republic of China, a puppet administration headed by Wang Kemin under Japanese auspices.

物件編號: A2935

年代: 公元 1937 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 22.9 x 22.9 x 1.6 mm

重量: 5.05 g

製造地: 大阪造幣廠

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚民國26年 (公元1937年)，日本在華北地區鼓動自治運動擴張影響力期間，扶植成立的傀儡政權「冀東防共自治政府」發行的壹分銅幣。

錢幣正面有兩道珠圈環繞，最內圈的圓形分割成兩種圖案，右上角是冀東政府沿用北洋政府以來代表中華民國的五色旗，左下角是整齊排列的22顆星星，象徵冀東政府管轄內的22個縣市。外圍的左右兩側各以一枚五芒星作為分界線，上緣以漢字打印「冀東政府」，下緣則打印發行紀年「中華民國二十六年」。

錢幣背面的周圍以珠圈作為裝飾，中間的圖案是一對打結的麥穗，正中央以直書的漢字標示面額「壹分」。

日本並未隨著建立滿洲國就此停止對於中國的野心，持續以軍事、經濟和政治等各個領域意圖在華北擴大其影響力。公元1935年11月24日，日本以《塘沽協定》劃定的非武裝區域為據點，扶植殷汝耕擔任受其擺佈的「冀東防共自治政府」。然而後續中日兩國隨著七七事變全面開戰，公元1937年7月29日，冀東政府轄下的保安隊不滿遭到日軍飛機誤炸和盧溝橋事變的鼓勵，對於境內的日軍和日僑發動攻擊，史稱「通州事件」但遭到日軍平定。通州事件之後，日本對於冀東政府失去信任，殷汝耕也為此下台，後續於當年12月14日併入王克敏主持的傀儡政權「中華民國臨時政府」。