1 Yuan Pattern, proposed 'Junk dollar', Italian strike

In 1929 the Republic of China commissioned pattern strikes from several foreign mints as part of a broader effort to standardize national coinage and displace the flood of provincial issues still circulating. The Italian-struck version — produced at the Rome or Milan mint — was one of several competing proposals evaluated that year, alongside patterns from Philadelphia and possibly London. None were adopted immediately; the Nationalist government's monetary reform stalled, and a unified silver dollar would not be fully implemented until the 1933–1934 currency reorganization under H.H. Kung.

The Italian strike is distinguished from Philadelphia examples by subtly different die workmanship. Surviving examples are rare in any condition.