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1 Rupee - Guangxu
| Issuer | Yunnan Province |
|---|---|
| Year | 1907 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | L&M#427, Kann#599, PCGS#515028 |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse features an elaborate central cartouche bearing the two-line inscription 'SILVER / COIN' in bold Latin letters, surrounded by a densely composed arrangement of scrolling acanthus-style vines, lotus blossoms, and foliate sprays rendered in fine relief. The overall decorative composition fills the field entirely, with a prominent chrysanthemum blossom at the base and additional floral motifs distributed symmetrically throughout. The design closely reflects the ornamental vocabulary found on contemporary British Indian coinage, underscoring the trade rupee context for which this pattern was produced. A raised bead border frames the entire reverse design. |
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| Mint | Yunnan Mint |
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| Additional information |
Yunnan Province struck these rupees explicitly to compete with the Indian rupees flooding across the border from British Burma — a practical response to the dominance of British silver in the southwestern trade routes linking Yunnan to Southeast Asia. The provincial authorities needed a coin that local merchants would accept on par with the familiar foreign pieces, which meant matching the weight and size closely enough to function as a direct substitute.
Production was short-lived. The Qing dynasty's broader currency reforms and the political turbulence preceding the 1911 Revolution curtailed provincial minting ambitions across the southwest within a few years.