2 Jiao - Guangxu Pattern, nickel

The 1908 nickel patterns from the Guangxu reign were produced in the final months before the emperor's death in November of that year — followed within 24 hours by the death of the Empress Dowager Cixi. The court was experimenting with nickel as a base-metal alternative to silver for fractional denominations, a modernization push that never survived the dynasty's collapse three years later.

Kann 217y identifies this as a pattern trial, meaning it never reached authorized circulation. Very few examples are documented.