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1 Yuan - Guangxu Pei Yang Arsenal, type 1
| Issuer | Pei Yang Arsenal Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1896 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 26.70 g |
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| Obverse description | The obverse features a highly distinctive bilingual, bi-script design organized in concentric rings around a central square cartouche bearing the denomination 壹圓 (1 Yuan) in bold Chinese characters. Radiating outward, an inner ring carries an extensive Manchu script legend, followed by an outer ring of Chinese characters reading 大清 (Great Qing) at the top, with the mint name 北洋器械造局 (Pei Yang Arsenal) and reign date 光緒二十二年 (22nd year of Guangxu) distributed around the periphery. Six decorative five-pointed stars are evenly spaced along the outermost border, separating the legend segments. The flat field displays a toothed inner border and an outer beaded rim. The overall design is austere and typographic, with no pictorial motif, reflecting the utilitarian character of early Chinese provincial coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays a centrally positioned Chinese imperial dragon rendered in high relief, shown as a front-facing creature with scaled body, clawed limbs outstretched, and elaborate antler-like horns framing the fearsome visage. The dragon clutches a flaming pearl at center, surrounded by stylized clouds and flames that fill the field. The design closely follows the standard Qing dynasty dragon type common to late 19th-century provincial silver dollars. The peripheral legend in Latin script reads TWENTY SECOND YEAR OF KWANG HSU PEI YANG ARSENAL, separated by two five-pointed stars, and is contained within a plain raised rim with reeded edge visible at the border. |
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| Additional information |
The Pei Yang Arsenal Mint in Tianjin was established primarily as a weapons factory, only secondarily as a coin producer — a fact that explains the inconsistent die quality observed across this type. This 1896 yuan was struck under the oversight of the Beiyang military administration during Li Hongzhang's tenure, part of a broader effort to standardize provincial silver coinage ahead of a centralized monetary reform that would take another decade to materialize.
Type 1 is distinguished from later Pei Yang issues by specific obverse die characteristics catalogued under Y#65. The arsenal's short minting career makes clean attributions to type consequential for valuation.