Item number: A3427

Year: AD 1913

Material: Copper

Size: 26.0 x 26.0 mm

Manufactured by: The Fujian Copper Coin Factory, Cangxia Island Silver Coin Mint Bureau (Fookien Mint), Nantai, Fuzhou

Provenance:

1. Spink 2023

2. Dr. Werner Klaus Burger Collection

This is a “Zhonghua Yuanbao” copper coin, minted by the Fujian Copper Coin Bureau under the jurisdiction of the Fujian Military Government, with a denomination of ten wen.

The obverse of the coin features the inscription “Zhonghua Yuanbao” in regular script at the centre, with the four characters arranged from top to bottom and read from right to left. A twelve-petal chrysanthemum star adorns the centre. The inscription is separated by a fine beaded circle, with the upper rim inscribed “Manufactured by Fujian Copper Coin Factory” and the lower rim inscribed “Each coin equivalent to ten wen.” Small five-pointed stars are positioned on both sides, flanking the two columns of text.

The reverse displays a central design of crossed flags, from left to right: the Army Flag, the National Flag, and the Navy Flag. The Army Flag, known as the Iron-Blood Nineteen-Star Flag, is a variation of the Iron-Blood Eighteen-Star Flag symbolising the overthrow of Manchu rule by the eighteen provinces of Han China, with an additional star at the centre, possibly representing the central government. The National Flag is the Five-Colour Flag, symbolising the republican unity of the Han, Manchu, Mongol, Hui, and Tibetan peoples. The Navy Flag is the Blue Sky with White Sun and Red Field Flag, derived from the revolutionary banner of the Tongmenghui. The upper rim is inscribed in English with “FOO KIEN COPPER COIN,” denoting the coin’s name, “Fujian Copper Coin,” and the lower rim with “TEN CASH,” indicating the value of ten wen. Plum blossom stars flank the two columns of text on both sides. The edges of both the obverse and reverse are bordered by a fine raised ring with internal square-toothed patterns, while the coin’s rim is smooth and untextured.

Following the Xinhai Revolution, Fujian was restored in the third year of Xuantong (AD 1911), establishing the Fujian Military Government of the Republic of China. Sun Daoren, formerly the Qing Fujian Military Commander and connected with revolutionary factions, was elected Governor to lead the Military Government. Initially, Fujian faced severe financial constraints, necessitating urgent funds, prompting the minting of both silver and copper coins to facilitate economic circulation. Consequently, the Fujian Mint was re-established at the former Qing Ministry of Revenue’s mint site in Fujian. In terms of copper coins, the “Fujian Tongbao” and “Zhonghua Yuanbao” were minted successively. It is generally posited that these were produced in AD 1911 and AD 1913, respectively, though, due to resources being prioritised for silver coins and silver notes, the minting periods for copper coins were brief, lasting only a few months.

Sun Daoren, a key leader of the Xinhai Revolution in Fujian, was the son of Sun Kaihua, a renowned Xiang Army general who served as Fujian’s Military Commander. Sun Daoren studied under his father in his early years and, during the Sino-French War in the 1880s, accompanied him to Taiwan, serving under Liu Mingchuan. As a hereditary official, he held positions including Tongpan of the Capital Prefecture, administrative officer at the Naval Training Academy in the Summer Palace in AD 1890, and key roles in military training in Fujian and Yunnan. In AD 1901, he was dispatched to Japan to study military affairs, returning to oversee the Fujian Military Academy. In AD 1905, he was appointed Commander of the Funing Garrison, and in AD 1906, he became Commander of the Tenth Army Division, laying the foundation for Fujian’s New Army, later receiving the rank of Deputy Military Commander. In October AD 1911, following the Wuchang Uprising, Sun joined the Tongmenghui in November, led the New Army in the liberation of Fuzhou, and was elected Governor of the Fujian Military Government of the Republic of China, overseeing military and administrative affairs. In AD 1912, with the establishment of the Republic, the Fujian Military Government was reorganised into the Fujian Military Administration, with Sun continuing as Governor, though his authority was curtailed by the Nanjing Provisional Government. During the Second Revolution in AD 1913, under pressure from Xu Chongzhi, Sun declared Fujian’s independence but passively resisted; following the revolution’s failure, he was forced to resign, succeeded by Li Houji as Fujian’s Military Guardian. The Fujian Military Government was further integrated into the central Republican system, with reduced local autonomy. After resigning, Sun withdrew from politics, served briefly as an advisor to Li Yuanhong in AD 1916, and was appointed in AD 1922 to investigate opium suppression in the northwest, receiving the title of Yongwei General. He retired in AD 1923 following Li Yuanhong’s downfall, settled in Xiamen, and passed away in AD 1932.

物件編號: A3427

年代: 公元 1913 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 26.0 x 26.0 mm

製造地: 福建銅幣廠，福州南台蒼霞洲銀局

來源:

1. 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

2. 布威納博士舊藏

這是一枚福建軍政府所轄之福建銅幣局，所鑄行之「中華元寶」。銅質，面額十文。

錢幣正面中央錢文為「中華元寶」楷書。四字由上至下，由右至左對讀。中間飾以十二瓣菊花星。外側以細珠圈相隔，上緣環鐫「福建銅幣廠造」，下緣環鐫「每枚當錢十文」，左右兩側分飾以小五角星，相隔兩列錢文。

錢幣背面中央幣圖，由左至右為交叉飄揚的陸軍旗、國旗、與海軍旗。陸軍旗為鐵血十九星旗，為象徵漢地十八省推翻滿族統治的鐵血十八星旗微調而來，正中增設一星，或代表中央政府。國旗為五色旗，象徵漢、滿、蒙、回、藏五族共和。海軍旗為青天白日滿地紅旗，沿用同盟會之革命旗幟。外側上緣環鐫英文「FOO KIEN COPPER COIN」，即幣名「福建銅幣」。下緣環鐫「TEN CASH」，即幣值「十文」，左右兩側分飾以梅花星相隔兩列幣文。錢幣正背面幣緣均有細環凸起，內列細方齒。幣稜光平無紋。

辛亥革命後，福建於宣統三年(公元1911年)，成立「中華民國政府閩都督府」，推舉原任大清福建提督，與革命派有聯絡的孫道仁為都督，組織軍政府。初時閩省財政支絀，需錢孔亟，於是鑄造銀銅兩幣，以便周轉。因而於清代度支部造幣閩廠舊址，復設福建造幣廠。銅幣方面，先後鑄造了「福建通寶」與「中華元寶」。今多推測分別為公元1911年與1913年造，但因物力集中於銀元與銀元券的鑄造與發行上，銅幣的鑄期均短，僅至數月。

孫道仁，福建辛亥革命領袖，其父為湘軍名將孫開華，官至福建提督。孫道仁早年隨父讀書，中法戰爭期間隨父赴臺，於劉銘傳部下任職，後以蔭生身份歷任京府通判、頤和園海軍水操內學堂辦事官，及福建、雲南練兵要職。公元1901年赴日本考察軍事，返國後主持福建武備學堂，公元1905年升福寧鎮總兵，公元1906年任陸軍第十鎮統制，為福建新軍奠基，後獲陸軍副都統銜。公元1911年10月，武昌起義爆發，11月，孫道仁加入同盟會，率新軍參與福州光復，獲推舉為中華民國軍政府閩都督府都督，負責統轄軍政。公元1912年，民國成立，閩都督府改組為福建軍政府，孫道仁續任都督，惟權力受南京臨時政府約束。公元1913年二次革命中，孫道仁在許崇智壓力下宣布福建獨立，但消極抵制，革命失敗後被迫辭職，由李厚基接任福建鎮守使。閩都督府隨後進一步併入民國中央體制，地方自治權縮減。孫道仁下台後淡出政壇，公元1916年獲黎元洪聘為顧問，公元1922年再受委派調查西北煙禁，授永威將軍銜，公元1923年隨黎元洪下台退休，晚年定居廈門，公元1932年病逝。