Item number: A3701

Reference number: Zhou&Li2018#HON.51、DCD#993

Year: AD 1913-1918

Material: Copper

Size: 27.8 x 27.7 x 1.3 mm

Weight: 6.35 g

Manufactured by: Honan Copper Coin Mint Bureau

Provenance: Spink 2023

This copper coin featuring crossed flags was minted by the Henan Mint, primarily between the second and seventh years of the Republic of China (AD 1913–1918).

The obverse bears, at the centre, a hollow chrysanthemum motif positioned slightly lower than the midpoint, a variety known as the low-flower type (gao hua). On either side are symmetrically arranged ears of wheat, representing jiahe—“auspicious grain”—symbolising abundance and conveying the moral precept “to encourage the pursuit of agriculture for the sustenance of the people.” The outer border consists of a beaded circle, typically comprising seventy-eight raised dots. Around it, the upper arc reads “中華民國” (Zhonghua Minguo, Republic of China), while the lower arc bears “當十銅元” (Dang Shi Tong Yuan, Value Ten Copper Coin). On each side appears a hollow six-petalled floral ornament in full bloom.

The reverse bears, at its centre, a pair of crossed flags of differing designs, hence the designation different flags (yi qi). On the right is the Five-Colour Flag, national flag of the Beiyang Government, symbolising the “Republic of Five Races”—the Han, Manchu, Mongol, Hui, and Tibetan peoples. The flags are bound together by a cord, from which long tassels hang down; this variety is known as the long-cord type (duan ying). On the left is the Nineteen-Star Flag, used by the Army and Air Force, which was adapted from the “Iron and Blood Eighteen-Star Flag” that, following the Wuchang Uprising, had represented the confederated republican alliance of the eighteen Han provinces. The central star is thought to symbolise the central government. Around the upper arc appears the English inscription “HO-NAN,” the Wade–Giles romanisation for Henan; the lower arc bears “10 CASH,” denoting the denomination. Both sides are ornamented with vine-like floral motifs.

The minting of machine-struck copper coins in Henan began in the 30th year of the Guangxu reign (AD 1904), when the provincial governor Chen Kuilong, in response to a severe shortage of small change, petitioned the Qing court to establish a mint. Machinery was purchased from the Ferracute Machine Company of Bridgeton, New Jersey, USA, and trial minting of Guangxu Yuanbao ten-cash copper coins was conducted in Kaifeng, following the model of the Guangdong Mint. Regular production began the following year. After the establishment of the Republic, the Henan Mint issued copper coins following the pattern prescribed by the Nanjing Provisional Government, including the Founding Commemorative Coin. In AD 1914 (the third year of the Republic), it was placed under the control of the Ministry of Finance and expanded its production capacity, achieving a daily output of up to 900,000 pieces.

Subsequently, under the fragmented rule of successive warlords—Zhao Ti, Feng Yuxiang, Han Fuju, and Liu Zhi—large-scale overproduction ensued to finance military expenditure. High-denomination copper coins of twenty, fifty, one hundred, and even two hundred wen were issued in succession, often by melting small coins to cast larger ones. In some instances, even Buddhist statues were melted down for copper, giving rise to the phenomenon known as Buddha-melted coins (fohua qian). By AD 1933, due to the exhaustion of raw materials, the Henan Mint was finally closed. Years of excessive issuance had led to the collapse of the coin’s value: at one point, a single silver dollar could be exchanged for as many as 800 ten-cash coins, making Henan one of the provinces with the most chaotic monetary systems in China.

Following the founding of the Republic, the former late-Qing provincial militia known as the Yi Army of Henan was nominally placed under the leadership of Provisional President Yuan Shikai. Its commanders included Anhui faction leader Duan Qirui, Yuan’s close associate Tian Wenlie, and the emerging local strongman Zhao Ti. In AD 1922, Feng Yuxiang, then aligned with the Zhili faction, entered Henan and became the dominant power, implementing a series of military and administrative reforms during his tenure. After the Northern Expedition in AD 1927, the Nationalist Government nominally achieved unification, yet factional divisions persisted in practice. Han Fuju, supported by Feng Yuxiang, was appointed Chairman of the Henan Provincial Government in AD 1928 but soon defected to Chiang Kai-shek in AD 1929, joining the Central Army. After the Central Plains War in AD 1930, Liu Zhi succeeded as provincial chairman, continuing central control over the province and maintaining fiscal stability through administrative and monetary measures.

物件編號: A3701

參考書目編號: Zhou&Li2018#HON.51、DCD#993

年代: 公元 1913-1918 年

材質: 銅

尺寸: 27.8 x 27.7 x 1.3 mm

重量: 6.35 g

製造地: 湖南銅元局

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚河南銅元局所鑄之雙旗銅幣，主要鑄於民國二年至七年(公元1913-1918年)。

正面中央為空心的菊花紋飾，菊花位置較低，稱「低花」。兩側以對生的麥穗——即嘉禾——環繞，寓意「取豐歲足民之義，垂勸農務本之規」，外環一般有78點珠星組成的珠圈，上緣為國號「中華民國」，下緣為「當十銅元」標示幣值，左右各有一朵盛開的空心六圓瓣花。

背面中央為雙旗圖，雙旗各異，故稱「異旗」。右側為北洋政府時期之國旗：五色旗，象徵漢滿蒙回藏「五族共和」，旗以纓相繫，有纓穗垂下，纓穗較長，稱「長纓」。左側為十九星旗，為當時陸軍及空軍旗，改自武昌起義後象徵漢地十八省聯省共和之鐵血十八星旗，居中一星點或象徵中央政府。上緣環列英文紀地「HO －NAN」，即威妥瑪拼音之「河南」；下緣環列英文紀值「10 CASH」，即(制錢)「十文」; 兩側有藤蔓花飾。

河南機製銅元的鑄造始於清光緒三十年(公元1904年)，由巡撫陳夔龍因應錢荒向朝廷奏請設局鑄幣，自美國紐澤西的漢立克納浦廠(Ferracute Machine Company)購置機器，並於開封依廣東成例試鑄「光緒元寶」當十銅元，翌年正式投產。民國成立後，河南銅元局依據南京臨時政府規定鑄造「開國紀念幣」等式樣的民國銅元，民國三年(公元1914)年收歸中央財政部管轄，擴充產能，日產量高達九十萬枚。隨後在軍閥割據下，如趙倜、馮玉祥、韓復榘、劉峙等相繼掌權，為籌措軍費大規模濫鑄，先後推出當二十、五十、百文與二百文等大面額銅元，次次熔小錢以鑄大錢，甚至熔毀佛像鑄幣，衍生出「佛化錢」現象。公元1933年因原料枯竭，河南銅元局終告撤銷。長年過度發行導致幣值崩潰，一元銀元曾可兌換八百枚當十銅元，成為全國幣制最混亂地區之一。

中華民國成立後，原清末河南團練「毅軍」名義上歸於臨時大總統袁世凱領導，首長則先後由皖系段祺瑞、袁世凱心腹田文烈，以及於毅軍中嶄露頭角的地方實力人物趙倜相繼擔任。公元1922年，當時仍屬直系的馮玉祥進入河南，成為主導勢力，任內推行多項軍政改革。公元1927年北伐後，國民政府名義上實現統一，實際上仍以派系分治，馮玉祥支持的韓復榘於公元1928年任河南省政府主席，旋於公元1929年倒戈投向蔣介石，成為中央軍的一員。公元1930年中原大戰後劉峙接任河南省主席，延續中央派對地方的控制，並透過行政與貨幣政策維繫財政。